ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Departmental Publications

Bob Neill: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many consultation or issues papers the Electoral Commission published in  (a) March,  (b) April and  (c) May 2008.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it published three consultation papers in March:
	The registration of party descriptions (deadline for responses: 13 June 2008);
	Performance standards for Electoral Registration Officers in Great Britain (deadline for responses: 26 June 2008);
	Structure of Electoral Administration in the UK (deadline for responses: 23 May 2008).
	The Commission published no consultation or issue papers in April or May.

Elections: Local Government

Bob Neill: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, which local authority election counts the Chairman of the Electoral Commission visited in May 2008.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that the Chairman of the Commission attended two counts of the May 2008 elections: at West Oxfordshire district council and at London Olympia. In total, representatives of the Commission attended 46 counts.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Electronic Publications

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what consideration has been given to publishing electronic versions of Bill amendment papers in PDF format.

Nick Harvey: Material is placed on the parliamentary website primarily in HTML format, which is the preferred format for the web. PDF versions of documents are made available on the parliamentary website when it has not been possible or cost-effective to produce HTML versions; or in addition to HTML versions in response to particular and substantial demand and after consideration of any cost implications of doing so.
	Bill amendment papers are currently available in HTML format and to date there has been no substantial demand for PDF versions.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Computers

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of  (a) the number of computer devices left on overnight in his Department when not in use and  (b) the cost of leaving computer devices on overnight when not in use in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office shares an information technology system (SCOTS) with the Scottish Executive, which is responsible for the development, administration and maintenance of the system. The Office does not maintain records of devices left on overnight. However, the recent introduction of new software on SCOTS will ensure that desktop personal computers are automatically shut down each night and staff have been reminded of the need to switch off printers etc.

Departmental ICT

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff have access to his Department's IT infrastructure at their home.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office has five security devices for use with laptops that are available to staff and which provide access to the corporate IT network.

WALES

Roads: Accidents

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many recorded deaths from road traffic accidents there have been in Wales in each of the last five years.

Paul Murphy: While any road deaths are regrettable the number of fatalities in 2007, at 161, is 25 per cent. lower than the 1994-98 average of 213.
	A table showing the last five years data is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of recorded road deaths in Wales 2003-07 
			   Fatalities 
			 2003 173 
			 2004 201 
			 2005 180 
			 2006 163 
			 2007 161

OLYMPICS

Olympic Games 2012: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps the Government plan to take to encourage children and young people in the West Midlands to participate in events that are part of the London 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: The Government and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic games and Paralympic games (LOCOG) are working to ensure that the benefits of 2012 reach across the UK and have established a Nations and Regions Group (NRG) to oversee this work. Further details about the NRG can be found at
	http://www.london2012.com/about/the-people-delivering-the-games/the-nations-and-regions-group/index.php
	The West Midlands Leadership Group for the 2012 games is represented on the Nations and Regions Group and leads the work of the region in delivering legacy benefits across sport, culture, volunteering, business and tourism. The Group is committed to encouraging young people to participate and since pre-bid has included among its members a representative from their Youth Parliament. (The NRG co-ordinator for the West Midlands is Tim Bryan, who can be contacted at Culture West Midlands, The Regional Partnership Centre, Albert House, Quay Place, Edward St., Birmingham B1 2RA).
	In the West Midlands, schools have already started using material from LOCOG's London 2012 education programme, which all schools, colleges and local authorities will have the opportunity to participate in. 20 primary schools from Stoke on Trent prepared flags, mascots and banners for an opening ceremony festival, and children from the region competed in a series of sporting and cultural events at Stafford Sports college.
	35 cultural events will be taking place in the West Midlands over the Handover and Cultural Olympiad launch weekends in September. In addition, the West Midlands Legacy Trust has developed a programme of dance and community events aimed at young people who will develop new skills by staging and taking part in their own community-based games. Young people from the West Midlands will also have the opportunity to be among the 70,000 volunteers needed to help run the games in London.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Pay

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what proportion of staff in his Department received bonus payments in each of the last five years; what the total amount of bonuses paid has been; what the largest single payment was in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The Department operates two types of bonus scheme—special bonus (to reward staff for additional contribution, e.g. innovation and improvement, project work), and end of year bonus (to reward staff for performance and delivery throughout the year).
	Figures for the last five years are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			  Special bonuses  
			 Number of staff 779 575 713 685 891 
			 Proportion 44.5 31.6 37.3 32.9 42.9 
			 Total amount (£) 98,705 112,150 153,443 151,558 174,882 
			 Largest payment (£) 600 600 750 1,000 1,100 
			   
			  End of year bonuses  
			 Number of staff 30 1,670 1,731 292 324 
			 Proportion 1.7 91.9 90.7 14.0 15.6 
			 Total amount (£) 132,300 362,930 476,299 502,667 557,000 
			 Largest payment (£) 10,400 10,080 12,000 11,000 20,000 
		
	
	The Northern Ireland Office pays end-year bonuses for SCS staff in accordance with the Cabinet Office framework. In respect of 2002-03, only SCS staff received non- consolidated bonuses. Grade A and below received fully consolidated rises in this year. The Department established an end-year non-consolidated bonus scheme for Grade A and below in the 2003-04 reporting year, rewarding three levels of performance. From the 2005-06 reporting year this scheme was amended and is now targeted at exceptional performance. The figures relate to the reporting year but bonuses are paid in the following financial year.
	In a previous answer given to the hon. Gentleman on 21 June 2007,  Official Report, column 2050W, in respect of the number of bonuses paid and the value of the bonus pot in 2005-06, the number of individuals who received a bonus is lower (staff may receive more than one bonus in a year). The bonus pot in 2005-06 was not fully utilised so the figures have been amended accordingly.
	For clarity, the special bonus figures and end year bonuses have been separated.

Young Offenders: Prisons

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children under the age of 18 years are detained in adult prisons in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Paul Goggins: All males under 18 years are held in the separate Young Offenders Centre.
	Females under 18 years have been held with females over 18 years, initially in Mourne House at Maghaberry and then since 20 June 2004 at Ash House in Hydebank Wood prison. Precise figures prior to June 2004 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The number of females committed to Hydebank Wood prison is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2008 (to 11 July) 2 
			 2007 3 
			 2006 8 
			 2005 10 
			 2004 6 
		
	
	Following an amendment to the Criminal Justice (Children) NI Order 1998, since 7 June 2008 all females aged 17 or under are detained at Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre.

Young Offenders: Reoffenders

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the  (a) re-offending rate and  (b) breach of condition rate of young offenders participating in youth justice conferences was in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: The information is as follows:
	 (a) The only re-offending information currently available relates to 2005 one-year re-offending rates. Youth conferencing had an overall re-offending rate of 38.4 per cent. For court ordered and diversionary youth conferences, the rates were 44.3 per cent. and 30.7 per cent. respectively.
	 (b) The proportion of young offenders who have had their youth conference orders revoked for non-compliance or their diversionary youth conference plans terminated due to non-compliance is as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 2005 8 
			 2006 5 
			 2007 5

Young Offenders: Reparation By Offenders

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average length of time between a court recommending a youth justice conference, and the conference taking place, was in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: The average length of time between the court recommending a youth conference and the conference taking place in each of the last three years was as follows:
	
		
			   Days 
			 2005 26 
			 2006 29 
			 2007 36 
		
	
	The figures provided are calendar days and not working days.

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Departmental ICT

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many staff have access to the Government Equality Office's IT infrastructure at their home.

Barbara Follett: As befits its policy agenda, the Government Equalities Office is keen to ensure that its staff can adopt flexible working patterns, providing business needs are met. Some 90 staff work in the GEO and its Ministers' Private Offices. All staff are, in theory, able to work from home and any request to do so is subject to agreement with managers on a case-by-case basis and to the availability of a limited number of laptops. In practice, 25 staff have been taking occasional advantage of this opportunity, usually for a day at a time. Staff use encrypted laptops when working from home and typically access the IT infrastructure by a broadband connection. Six staff in GEO have Blackberries and can use these for e-mail when they are at home.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Cryptography: Zimbabwe

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many export licences were granted by his Department for the export of cryptography equipment including cryptography software to Zimbabwe in 2007; to which company each was granted; what the value of goods permitted to be exported under each such licence was; and who the end-user was in each case.

Malcolm Wicks: In 2007, two export licences, with a total value of £836,870, were granted for the export to Zimbabwe of cryptography equipment and software on the Dual Use list.
	Export licence applications are made to the Government in confidence. The information they contain, including the name of the company to whom the licence was granted, the identity of the end-user, and the value of goods permitted for export under each individual licence, cannot therefore be disclosed.

Data Protection: Internet

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent action the Government has taken to ensure that internet users are not sharing personal information to online companies and third parties without their consent.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 19 May 2008
	My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister asked Richard Thomas, the Information Commissioner, and Dr. Mark Walport to conduct a consultation on the use and sharing of personal information in the public and private sectors as part of their independent Data Sharing Review.
	The review team is now analysing the results from the consultation exercise and the report will consider whether there should be any changes to the way the Data Protection Act 1998 operates in the UK and the options for implementing any such changes. The report will include recommendations on the powers and sanctions available to the regulator and courts in the legislation governing data sharing and data protection. It will also make recommendations how data sharing policy should be developed in a way that ensures proper transparency, scrutiny and accountability. My right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice will publish the report later in the year.
	The Data Protection Act gives citizens the right to know what information is held about them and sets rules to make sure organisations handle their personal information properly. The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations set out rules for people who wish to send electronic direct marketing, for example e-mails and text messages. The Government and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) keep legislation under review in the light of ever-increasing technological changes in the field of data protection.
	For example on the matter of Phorm, the ICO made a statement on 3 March that it was in discussion with Phorm about the nature of its service and the way it uses information about Internet Service Provider customers. My noble Friend the Minister for Business and Competitiveness has met BT which intends to run a trial using Phorm's service involving around 10,000 broadband users in the near future. The ICO has discussed the trial with the relevant parties and BT has made it clear that, unless customers positively opt in to the trial, their web browsing will not be monitored for subsequent delivery of advertisements. The ICO will maintain close contact with Phorm and BT throughout the trial. It is important that people's privacy is protected, and the ICO, Phorm and BT are all committed to ensuring that any use of Phorm is compatible with the relevant privacy legislation.

Fuel Poverty

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department has spent on measures to alleviate fuel poverty since 2000, broken down by  (a) initiative and  (b) vulnerable group as defined in the Fuel Poverty Strategy.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 14 July 2008
	Funding within Government for fuel poverty measures principally lies with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. BERR has provided £2 million to fund a pilot project to test the scope for community-based schemes to address fuel poverty in partnership with the Regional Development Agencies in North-East England and Yorkshire and Humberside. This will provide high value measures to 4,000 households in 20 communities in each region. I recently announced funding of £3 million for a further pilot project under the Low Carbon Buildings programme. This will provide microgeneration technologies to deprived households on a community basis. Both of these projects, which focus only on communities with high levels of multiple deprivation, are designed to assist low-income households, including vulnerable fuel poor households.

Internet: Security

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent discussions he has had with internet service providers on internet tracking services and security online.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has regular meetings with internet service providers (ISPs) at which a wide range of topics are raised and discussed. On internet tracking services, Ministers have had discussions with one provider on this matter.
	The statement of 18 April from the Office of the Information Commissioner (ICO) notes that the Information Commissioner has been approached by a number of individuals and organisations for a view on Phorm's Webwise and Open Internet Exchange (OIX) products. The statement is at:
	http://www.ico.gov.uk/Home/about_us/news_and_views/current_topics/phorm_webwise_and_oie.aspx
	It is important that people's privacy is protected, and the ICO are committed to ensuring that any use of Phorm is compatible with the relevant privacy legislation.

Members: Constituents

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will investigate the delay in payment of compensation to the constituent of the hon. Member for Swansea East, Mr Alan Thorpe, ref. T.J.R. 30599/3/SC.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is confidential to the constituent. However, I will write separately to my hon. Friend with an update in respect of her constituent's coal health compensation claim.

Members: Constituents

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will investigate the delay in compensation for respiratory disease for the constituent of the hon. Member for Swansea East, Mr Hywel Jones, in relation to the late David Morris Jones, claim no. 755731.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is confidential to the constituent. However, I will write separately to my hon. Friend with an update in respect of her constituent's coal health compensation claim.

Nuclear Power Stations

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which nuclear power stations have been  (a) out of commission and  (b) stopped for repairs since January 2007.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department does not publish data on the operational status of individual nuclear stations. Data on recent historic nuclear generation unavailability are published in the National Grid Winter Consultation Report which is available at:
	http://www.nationalgrid.com/NR/rdonlvres/4B475A5CD41A4039908930B282276577/26306/WinterOutlookConsultationReportJune2.pdf

Nuclear Power Stations: Investment

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what expenditure his Department incurred in organising and hosting the investor conference for new nuclear build held on 12 June 2008.

Malcolm Wicks: The budget for organising and hosting the Nuclear Investors' Conference was 194,123. I expect final expenditure to be slightly below this.

TRANSPORT

Aircraft

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the most commonly used model of aircraft for domestic flight routes in the UK is.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The most commonly used model of aircraft for domestic flight routes in the UK in 2007 was the Airbus A319.

Airports: Security

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what restrictions apply to liquids carried in carry-on hand baggage prior to passing security checkpoints at  (a) Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick and  (b) all other UK airports.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Passengers may carry small quantities of liquids, but only within separate containers each of which with a capacity not greater than 100 ml. These containers must be contained in a single, transparent, re-sealable plastic bag which itself must not exceed 1 litre in capacity (approximately 20 cm x 20 cm). The contents of the plastic bag must fit comfortably and the bag sealed. Each passenger may carry only one such bag of liquids. These regulations are applicable at all UK airports.

Aviation

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many commercial passenger flights there were between London Heathrow Airport and  (a) Birmingham,  (b) Manchester,  (c) Edinburgh and  (d) Glasgow in each of the last three years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table shows the number of commercial passenger flights between London Heathrow airport and Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow in each of the last three years.
	
		
			  Commercial passenger flights between London Heathrow and Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester 
			  Thousand 
			   2005  2006  2007 
			 Birmingham(1)
			 Edinburgh 14.1 13.0 12.8 
			 Glasgow 13.1 11.9 11.6 
			 Manchester 12.5 11.2 10.3 
			 (1) There are no flights between London Heathrow and Birmingham.  Source: DFT analysis of Civil Aviation Authority data.

Aviation

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average load factor was for domestic flights in each year since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 14 July 2008
	The following table shows the average load factor for domestic flights in each year since 1997.
	
		
			  Average load factor for domestic flights( 1)  1997-2007 
			   P assenger seat occupanc y (percentage) 
			 1997 64.2 
			 1998 62.1 
			 1999 60.7 
			 2000 64.9 
			 2001 61.8 
			 2002 65.9 
			 2003 70.4 
			 2004 67.9 
			 2005 65.0 
			 2006 65.9 
			 2007 65.1 
			 (1) Major UK airlines, excluding sub-charter operations performed on behalf of UK airlines.  Source: Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) UK airline statistics

Aviation: Luggage

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2008,  Official Report, columns 564-65W, on aviation: luggage, which airports have received permission to relax the one bag rule.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The airports which have received permission to lift the restriction are Aberdeen, Belfast International, Benbecula, Biggin Hill, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Blackpool, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, City of Derry, Coventry, Dundee, Durham Tees Valley, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Exeter, Farnborough, Filton, Gatwick, George Best Belfast City, Glasgow, Gloucestershire, Guernsey, Hawarden, Heathrow, Humberside, Inverness, Islay, Isle of Man, Jersey, Kent International, Kirkwall, Leeds Bradford, London City, Manchester, Newcastle, Newquay Cornwall, Norwich, Plymouth, Prestwick, Robin Hood, Southampton, Southend, Stansted, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree, Warton and Wick.

Aviation: Passengers

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers took flights from London Heathrow Airport to  (a) Birmingham,  (b) Manchester,  (c) Edinburgh and  (d) Glasgow in each of the last three years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table shows the number of passengers who took flights from London Heathrow airport to Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow in each of the last three years.
	
		
			  Passengers from London Heathrow to Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester 
			  Thousand 
			   2005  2006  2007 
			 Birmingham(1)
			 Edinburgh 834 752 724 
			 Glasgow 715 642 603 
			 Manchester 642 555 494 
			 (1) There are no flights between London Heathrow and Birmingham.  Source: DFT analysis of Civil Aviation Authority data.

Departmental Compensation

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the 10 highest payments made by her Department were under property compensation cases brought against it over the last 12 months for which figures are available; which of the cases were  (a) contested and  (b) uncontested by her Department; and what the nature of each incident was.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In the last 12 months, the 10 highest payments made by the Highways Agency, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport, were:
	
		
			
			 Acquisition under compulsory purchase order 3,330,000.00 
			 Acquisition under compulsory purchase order 1,640,419.00 
			 Acquisition under compulsory purchase order 1,614,666.60 
			 Acquisition under compulsory purchase order 1,350,000.00 
			 Acquisition under compulsory purchase order 1,296,360.00 
			 Acquisition under compulsory purchase order 859,851.63 
			 Acquisition following service of a blight notice 783,250.00 
			 Acquisition under compulsory purchase order 683,156.10 
			 Acquisition under compulsory purchase order 675,000.00 
			 Acquisition under compulsory purchase order 495,000.00 
		
	
	All payments arise out of claims for compensation for the acquisition or temporary use of land required for the construction of a new or altered highway. The amount of each payment was determined in accordance with the 'Compensation Code' (made up of statute, case law and established practice) and agreed with the affected landowner following negotiations with the Highways Agency's independent valuer. None of the claims were contested in the Lands Tribunal.

Departmental Manpower

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the change in the number of employees in her Department and its agencies has been since July 2006.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The central Department and its agencies recorded the following change between July 2006 and July 2008:
	
		
			   Total 
			 July 2006 18840.31 
			 July 2008 18650.36 
			 Change -189.95 
		
	
	The Vehicle Certification Agency were unable to provide this data without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Official Cars

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  which make and model of car is provided for the Leader of the House of Lords by the Government Car and Despatch Agency;
	(2)  what car the Government Car and Despatch Agency provides for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Chief Whip;
	(3)  which make and model of car she has chosen as her Ministerial car to be provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Prime Minister sets the criteria for cars for use by Ministers. Currently, Cabinet Ministers may choose either a diesel powered Jaguar XJ or a Toyota Prius hybrid. Other Ministers may also choose from a Toyota Prius, a Honda Civic hybrid or any other suitable car with a CO2 emission of 185 g/km or less.

Departmental Pay

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of staff of her Department and its agencies did not receive the maximum bonus possible under a bonus scheme applying to them in the last two years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The central Department and its agencies recorded the following proportion of employees who did not receive the maximum bonus applicable through their individual bonus schemes:
	
		
			  Financial period  Percentage of employees receiving less than maximum bonus 
			 2006-07 80.46 
			 2007-08 96.16 
		
	
	2007-08 figures do not include the Driving Standards Agency because their group incentive bonus has not yet been paid.

Departmental Retirement

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the standard retirement age in her Department is; and how many people worked beyond the standard retirement age in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The standard retirement age in the Department for Transport is 65. Prior to 2006 the standard retirement age was 60. The numbers of staff that worked beyond the standard retirement age in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			   Standard retirement age  Staff working beyond standard retirement age 
			 2008 65 141 
			 2007 65 155 
			 2006 65 145 
			 2005 60 771 
			 2004 60 (1)358 
			 (1) The figure for staff working beyond the standard retirement age in 2004 excludes staff working in the Driving Standards Agency. Due to a change of system in the agency in that year a reliable figure is not available.

Departmental Travel

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for how many miles of car travel staff in her Department claimed expenses in each of the past three years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport and six of its agencies recorded staff car mileage as contained in the following table:
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 VCA 337,063 285,566 325,107 
			 MCA 776,622 863,488 652,072 
			 HA 2,689,030 2,415,254 2,040,147 
			 DSA  5,585,147 5,545,335 
			 VOSA 6,800,000 6,200,000 5,800,000 
			 DVLA 1,214,625 1,416,763 1,885,215 
			 DfT 299,996 473,298 230,499 
			 Total 12,117,336 17,239,516 16,489,863 
		
	
	The information for GCDA could only be provided at disproportionate cost. DSA only began recording mileage figures in 2006-07. Information for the previous year could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Government Car and Dispatch Agency: Tolls

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Government Car and Dispatch Agency has spent on the London congestion charge in the last financial year.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government Car and Despatch Agency paid a total of 109,538 in congestion charges in 2007-08.

Heathrow Airport: Public Participation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many letters and other representations were received by her Department in the course of the consultation process Adding Value at Heathrow; and what proportion of the reply letters sent out by the Heathrow Consultation Team stated that it would not be possible to provide the answers to the individual issues raised.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 23 June 2008
	Over 65,000 responses have been received to the 'Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport' consultation. These included responses received as letters, emails, postcards and response forms, sent either direct to the Department or to the designated freepost address of our response handling agents.
	A number of the responses received by the Department asked questions relating to the consultation issues and we replied to 229 stating that it will not be possible to provide you with answers to the individual issues raised. However, all responses have been carefully analysed and the report on this will be made available alongside ministerial decisions, which are expected later this year. These decisions will take account of all the evidence, including responses to the consultation.

Heathrow Airport: Security

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2008,  Official Report, column 791W, to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet, on Heathrow airport: security, how many times her Department has conducted  (a) announced and  (b) unannounced security inspections and audits (i) prior to and (ii) since the opening of Heathrow Terminal 5; and what the date was of each inspection and audit.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department monitors the level of compliance through its programme of regular inspections and audits. This activity is predominantly unannounced inspectors seek corrective action from industry where appropriate. We worked closely with Heathrow airport in the lead up to the opening of T5, and have undertaken regular monitoring activity since passenger flights commenced. However, it would not be appropriate to discuss the details of this activity.

Motor Vehicles: Greater London

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cars were registered in each London borough in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: A table showing the numbers of licensed cars registered in each London borough in each of the last 10 years has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Motor Vehicles: Registration

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many drivers in England are using a foreign licence.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The requested information is not held.

Personal Injury

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the highest 10 payments made by her Department in settlement of personal injury claims brought against it were over the last 12 months for which figures are available; which of those cases were  (a) contested and  (b) uncontested by the Department; and what the nature of the incident was in each case.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The-highest 10 payments made by the Department for Transport in settlement of personal injury claims over the last 12 months were as follows:
	
		
			  Nature of incident  Contested Y es /N o  Settlement amount (000) 
			 Trip/fall injury to employee while at work. Yes 135 
			 Road traffic accident injury due to flooding Yes 125 
			 Road traffic accident injury due to flooding Yes 105 
			 Fall injury to employee Yes 57 
			 Asbestos related injury. Exposure occurred in 1965 to 1975 Yes 50 
			 Mechanical handling injury to employee Yes 23 
			 Slip injury to employee Yes 22.5 
			 Mechanical failure injury to employee Yes 21 
			 Road traffic accidentcollision Yes 15 
			 Work place injury Yes 12 
			  Notes: 1. These figures exclude the costs reimbursed to the claimants. 2. No claim was paid without first obtaining relevant evidence and negotiating a settlement figure.

Ports: Wales

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much Government funding has been allocated to each port in Wales in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: None. In general, ports in England and Wales operate in a competitive market without need for Government funding.

Road Traffic Offences: Cameras

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 1 July 2008,  Official Report, column 746W, on traffic offences: cameras, if she will issue guidance to local authorities; and what her policy is on footage being made available on the internet.

Rosie Winterton: Making traffic camera footage available over the internet is a matter for the relevant local authority. The Department for Transport has no plans to issue guidance to local authorities on this subject.

Roads: Safety Measures

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will urge local authorities to stop the introduction of shared surfaces schemes until the completion of her Department's research in this area.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 15 July 2008
	 We neither encourage nor discourage shared surfaces. We will reconsider this position in the light of evidence from wide-ranging research, which will take into account the work of others in this area. Our aim is to use the research findings to inform the preparation of a comprehensive guidance document on the design of shared surfaces.

Taxis: Vetting

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requirements there are for taxi licensing authorities to perform Criminal Records Bureau checks on applicants for taxi licences.

Rosie Winterton: I refer to the answer I gave on 10 June 2008,  Official Report, column 169W, to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Sarah Teather).

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experiments

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on the necessity of acute toxicity studies in animals to ensure the safety of medicines prior to first clinical trials on humans; what plans she has to amend the conditions under which licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 are issued; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Hillier: We have received representation from the Dr. Hadwen Trust, and have taken note of the conclusions of the European pharmaceutical company initiative challenging the regulatory requirement for acute toxicity studies in pharmaceutical drug development reported in Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 50 (2008) 345-352.
	A recent review of the use of single dose acute toxicity studies in the UK confirms that single dose acute toxicity studies prior to first clinical use in humans is no longer routinely conducted. However, in some specific instances, it may be possible to justify such studies on a case-by-case basis; for example, prior to microdose studies in humans.
	In view of this, and the fact that the conclusions of the European pharmaceutical company report largely reflects current UK practice, I see no need and have no plans to amend the conditions under which project licences for the purpose of conducting regulatory toxicology and safety evaluation studies have been granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Animal Experiments: Primates

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will introduce legislative proposals to prohibit the use of great apes for experimental and other scientific purposes, in the context of the revision of Directive 86/609 ECC; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Hillier: We have no plans to do so. It is too early to say what changes may be required to United Kingdom legislation before a proposal for a revised directive 86/609/EEC has been published and adopted. Great apes have never been used as laboratory animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and in 1997 we gave a commitment that we will not allow their use in the future. That remains our position.

Animal Experiments: Statistics

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 19 February 2008,  Official Report, column 587W, on statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, what progress has been made on the project to make her Department's RDSD database searchable by the public.

Meg Hillier: The Home Office is continuing to look at ways to improve the search facility across the departmental website and this may provide additional tools to improve the searchability of the abstracts database. For the longer term, work currently under way to improve the project licence application process under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 will also look at improvements to project licence abstracts. Other work in hand aimed at providing improved IT support for the licensing process will also provide an opportunity to seek ways to improve their searchability.

Criminal Records

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of people whose details are recorded on the Criminal Records Bureau database have not been charged, convicted of or otherwise received a penalty or sanction in relation to a criminal offence; and how many such people are aged 16 years or under.

Meg Hillier: In processing disclosure applications the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) collates information which is held, owned and maintained by the police service, the Department for Children Schools and Families and the Department of Health respectively. Therefore, the CRB database does not hold the information requested.

Criminal Records Bureau

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many organisations submitted tenders to operate the Criminal Records Bureau contract when it was last renewed; and when the contract is next due to be renewed.

Meg Hillier: The contract with Capita Group plc to operate the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) information systems is next up for renewal on 11 March 2012.
	In June 1999, following a tendering exercise, 95 organisations expressed an interest in joining a partnership arrangement with the CRB. In December 1999, it was announced that Capita Group plc, PricewaterhouseCoopers and eCRES were the short-listed bidders.
	On 20 July 2000 the CRB announced that Capita Group plc had been selected as its private sector partner in the public private partnership to operate the Bureau, and the main agreement signed on 3 August 2000.

Criminal Records: Cooperation

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of records of offences committed outside the United Kingdom held by the UK Central Authority were made available to the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and used in CRB disclosures in the most recent period for which figures are available; whether there are data on categories of offences held by the UK Central Authority which may not be passed to the CRB for use in its disclosures; and whether she plans to introduce proposals to make all records of crimes and offences held by the UK Central Authority available to  (a) the CRB and  (b) other law agencies.

Meg Hillier: I refer the hon. Member to my written answer of 9 June 2008,  Official Report, columns 72-73W.

Passports: Theft

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department has taken to prevent the sale of stolen passports.

Meg Hillier: The Identity and Passport Service provides, on a regular basis, details of all processed reports of lost, stolen and destroyed British passports to Interpol and the UK Border Agency. It also offers a passport validation service (PVS) to approved organisations that are subject to UK money laundering legislation. PVS enables these organisations to confirm that a British passport, which is presented by the holder to support a transaction, is current and has not been reported lost, stolen or recovered. When applications for passport renewals are received by IPS, there is an automatic check that the expiring passport has not previously been reported lost or stolen. Steps such as these reduce the value of stolen British passports, because they are more likely to be identified should they be used to operate financial services to enable travel or to be used to obtain a new passport in a false identity. This reduces the value and hence demand/sales of lost and stolen British passports.

Schengen Agreement: ICT

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the UK's participation in the Schangen SISNet system is.

Meg Hillier: SISNet is the established communication infrastructure for the Schengen Information System (SIS), enabling communication between the member states and the central system (C-SIS). Although the UK is not connected to the current SIS, we have established access to SISNet, which provides the technical capacity to receive communication from other member states.

Vetting: Fees and Charges

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether payments are required for each Criminal Records Bureau check on an individual seeking to perform one or more roles during the same time period within the same geographical area;
	(2)  for what reasons the results of Criminal Records Bureau searches on individuals are not transferable between organisations in circumstances where the individual concerned has given consent.

Meg Hillier: Disclosures are primarily designed to be used by an employer at the point of recruitment for a particular position. Ultimately it is for each employer, and not the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), to decide whether a new disclosure should be applied for, bearing in mind their legal and other responsibilities and subject to any statutory requirements.
	There are a number of reasons why an employer may not wish to accept a disclosure that has been processed for a previous employment position, including:
	The disclosure may not be at the right level (there are two different levels of CRB check; standard and enhanced);
	The older a disclosure is the less reliable the information is, because the information it contains may not be up to date;
	Information revealed through a CRB check reflects the information that was available at the time of its issuea person may have committed a crime in the intervening period;
	The disclosure process may also include a search to establish whether an individual is subject to a direction under section 142 of the Education Act 2002, or a check against the Protection of Children Act and Protection of Vulnerable Adults PoCA and PoVA) lists.
	Each disclosure is specific to the circumstances of a particular job application and any decision to disclose any non-conviction information held by individual police forces is unique to that position.
	Payment is required for each CRB check, regardless of whether an individual has had a previous disclosure. The CRB charges 31.00 for a standard disclosure and 36.00 for an enhanced disclosure. The CRB continues to process disclosure applications for volunteers free of charge.
	All applications are processed individually and the fee was last prescribed in 2006. This is in accordance with part V of the Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) Regulations 2002 which states that a disclosure shall be issued to any individual who makes an application in the prescribed format and pays the prescribed fee.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Drugs

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the volume of opium produced in Afghanistan in each of the last five years; and what proportion is estimated to have been produced in Helmand province in each such year.

Kim Howells: holding answer 15 July 2008
	The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducts annual surveys of poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. In the North and East of Afghanistan, where security, alternative livelihoods and governance are improving, poppy cultivation fell in 2007. The number of provinces free from poppy doubled from six to 13. In 2008, the Government of Afghanistan's target is for over half of all provinces to become poppy-free. While we remain concerned by sustained opium production figures in the insecure South, we welcome the UNODC's prediction that overall poppy cultivation will decrease slightly in 2008. We continue to work with the Afghan Government, donors and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to sustain success in the North and East and to target operations against the drugs trade in the South.
	The data as follows are drawn from the UNODC surveys.
	
		
			Potential volume of opium produced in Helmand province in the last five years 
			   Potential volume of opium produced in Afghanistan in the last five years (Tonnes)  Tonnes  Percentage 
			 2007 8,200 4,399 54 
			 2006 6,100 2,801 46 
			 2005 4,100 1,004 24 
			 2004 4,200 840 20 
			 2003 3,600 684 19

Afghanistan: Stabilisation Unit

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the Stabilisation Unit are working in Afghanistan.

Kim Howells: holding answer 15 July 2008
	The Department for International Development, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence agreed in June that the unit should take on responsibility for recruiting, training and deploying all civilians in delivery roles in the Helmand Integrated Civilian/Military Mission (formerly the Helmand provincial reconstruction teamPRT) except the head and one of the deputies. This currently represents 37 of the 55 civilian posts. Of these, 22 are filled: six by core staff from the unit and 16 on contract. The remaining 15 posts have only recently been established and are under recruitment. The unit also provides a contracted civilian expert to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation-led International Security Assistance Force's Regional Command (South) headquarters in Kandahar.

Departmental ICT

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the value of his Department's computer systems  (a) was at the time of purchase and  (b) is now.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's fixed asset register currently shows, for items categorised as information systems, a total purchase cost of 135.4 million and a current gross value, before depreciation, of 110.7 million.

Departmental ICT

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his Department's staff have access to the Department's IT infrastructure at home.

Meg Munn: Approximately 370 Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff currently have access to secure facilities enabling comprehensive remote connection to the FCO's information technology infrastructure. A further 140 have been provided with a system providing more limited access.

Embassies: Festivals and Special Occasions

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many embassies and other posts held events to celebrate  (a) St George's Day,  (b) St Andrew's Day and  (c) St Patrick's Day in the last 12 months.

David Miliband: According to the latest information available, during the last year, the number of our embassies and subordinate posts that held national saint's day events was:
	
		
			   Number 
			 St. George's Day 5 
			 St. Andrew's Day 7 
			 St. Patrick's Day 4 
		
	
	In addition to this, during the last year, the number of our embassies and subordinate posts overseas that publicised the national saints' days via their website and media contacts was:
	
		
			   Number 
			 St. George's Day 11 
			 St. Andrew's Day 18 
			 St. Patrick's Day 9

Embassies: Manpower

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2008,  Official Report, column 2309W, on embassies: manpower, how many UK-based staff his Department employs in each country overseas.

David Miliband: The number of UK-based civil servants employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in each country overseas is kept under constant review. It changes regularly as staff are redeployed to meet changing business priorities.
	Some staff have regional roles and cover a number of countries in addition to the one in which they are based. Others are accredited to international organisations located in the country where they are based.
	The figures in the table attached include all UK-based staff employed by, or seconded to, the FCO. The FCO's global network provides a platform to deliver for the whole of the Government. Staff serving other Government Departments, such as the Department for International Development or the Ministry of Defence in our Missions overseas, are not included.
	
		
			  Country  UK based staff  Country  UK based staff  Country  UK based staff 
			 Afghanistan 74 Holy See 1 Romania 12 
			 Albania 9 Hungary 15 Russian Federation 72 
			 Algeria 11 Iceland 2 Rwanda 5 
			 Angola 8 India 144 Saint Lucia 1 
			 Argentina 15 Indonesia 29 Saudi Arabia 35 
			 Armenia 4 Iran 22 Senegal 4 
			 Australia 26 Iraq 42 Seychelles 2 
			 Austria 39 Ireland 14 Serbia 14 
			 Azerbaijan 9 Israel 16 Sierra Leone 11 
			 Bahrain 11 Italy 20 Singapore 19 
			 Bangladesh 35 Jamaica 24 Slovakia 9 
			 Barbados 11 Japan 39 Slovenia 7 
			 Belarus 5 Jerusalem 11 Solomon Islands 2 
			 Belgium 125 Jordan 27 South Africa 38 
			 Belize 2 Kazakhstan 10 Spain 26 
			 Bolivia 4 Kenya 41 Sri Lanka 22 
			 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10 Korea (North) 4 Sudan 19 
			 Botswana 4 Korea (South) 19 Sweden 12 
			 Brazil 26 Kosovo 8 Switzerland 44 
			 Brunei 6 Kuwait 21 Syria 13 
			 Bulgaria 11 Latvia 3 Taiwan 10 
			 Cambodia 5 Lebanon 17 Tajikistan 3 
			 Cameroon 6 Liberia 1 Tanzania 9 
			 Canada 23 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 18 Thailand 33 
			 Chile 9 Lithuania 6 Trinidad and Tobago 4 
			 China 174 Luxembourg 3 Tunisia 8 
			 Colombia 23 Macedonia 6 Turkey 44 
			 Congo DR 8 Malawi 5 Turkmenistan 4 
			 Costa Rica 3 Malaysia 18 Uganda 14 
			 Cote d'Ivoire 1 Malta 7 Ukraine 17 
			 Croatia 9 Mauritius 4 United Arab Emirates 42 
			 Cuba 8 Mexico 19 USA 134 
			 Cyprus 14 Moldova 3 Uruguay 2 
			 Czech Republic 10 Mongolia 2 Uzbekistan 7 
			 Denmark 11 Montenegro 1 Venezuela 10 
			 Dominican Republic 2 Morocco 12 Vietnam 13 
			 Ecuador 6 Mozambique 7 Yemen 13 
			 Egypt 34 Myanmar 7 Zambia 9 
			 Eritrea 2 Namibia 3 Zimbabwe 19 
			 Estonia 7 Nepal 8   
			 Ethiopia 18 Netherlands 17 Overseas Territories  
			 Fiji 7 New Zealand 10 Anguilla 4 
			 Finland 11 Nigeria 107 Ascension Island 1 
			 France 54 Norway 11 Bermuda 3 
			 Gambia 5 Oman 13 British Virgin Islands 4 
			 Georgia 8 Pakistan 125 Cayman Islands 4 
			 Germany 37 Panama 3 Falkland Islands 4 
			 Ghana 34 Papua New Guinea 2 Gibraltar 8 
			 Greece 15 Peru 6 Montserrat 4 
			 Guatemala 6 Philippines 22 Pitcairn 1 
			 Guinea 1 Poland 22 Saint Helena 2 
			 Guyana 5 Portugal 9 Tristan de Cunha 1 
			   Qatar 14 Turks and Caicos Islands 4

EU: Foreign Aid

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the  (a) budget and  (b) entertainment budget of EU missions overseas is in 2008-09.

Jim Murphy: The total budget allocated to our Diplomatic Missions in EU member states is 91.01 million for 2008-09, of which 1.93 million has been allocated for entertainment. This is a reduction in real terms from a budget of 86.28 million in 2007-08 but includes an increase of 11.5 million to compensate for exchange rate and inflationary pressures.

Fish

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much fish was procured by his Department and at what cost in each of the last five years, broken down by species; and what amount and value of such fish met the Marine Stewardship Council standard in each such year, broken down by species.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not categorise expenditure to that degree of detail. The information is therefore not obtainable. MJ Seafood has recently become the sole fish supplier to the FCO's catering contractor, Director's Table. MJ Seafood is committed to responsible sourcing from well-managed and sustainable fisheries and actively promotes the use of under utilised species. MJ Seafood does not supply any species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list of endangered species and was the first company within the UK's food industry to offer Marine Stewardship Council approved products such as New Zealand hoki, wild Alaskan salmon and Cornish line-caught mackerel.
	Furthermore, MJ Seafood supplies the 'Natural Choice' Shetland salmon which is certified by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' farm assurance and food labelling scheme and fed with organic sustainable feed only.

Human Rights

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what means his Department alerts embassies and high commissions overseas to the tabling of parliamentary Questions on human rights issues.

Meg Munn: Where a parliamentary question on human rights is country or region specific, the relevant Foreign and Commonwealth (FCO) Office Desk, in consultation with our embassies and high commissions in the countries concerned, will provide a response. For parliamentary questions relating to human rights themes or the international human rights system more generally, the FCO's Human Rights, Democracy and Governance Group will provide a response consulting with relevant posts as necessary.

Languages

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff in his Department took second language training in each of the last five years; and what the five languages in which training was most frequently undertaken were.

Meg Munn: holding answer 15 July 2008
	During financial year 2004-05, 757 officers undertook language training. Information on which languages were studied is not available for this period.
	During financial year 2005-06,754 officers undertook language training.
	During financial year 2006-07, 567 officers undertook language training.
	During financial year 2007-08, 441 officers undertook language training.
	So far during financial year 2008-09, 135 officers are undertaking language training. The five languages most frequently studied so far this year, and in the previous three financial years, are French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Mandarin.

North Korea

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the advice given by the United Kingdom on the recent Group of 6 talks in Beijing on relations with North Korea.

Meg Munn: The UK is not a member of the Six party talks process and has not been asked to advise those countries that are. We do, however, strongly support the process as the best mechanism for achieving verifiable denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. We welcome recent progress and stand ready to assist the Six parties.

North Korea: Forced Labour

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to his North Korean counterpart on closing North Korea's forced labour camps.

Meg Munn: The Government are deeply concerned about reported serious, widespread and systematic human rights abuses in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Our ambassador in Pyongyang raised concerns about labour camps, as well as wider human rights issues, with Kim Young Nam (President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly) on 2 July. We will continue to take every appropriate opportunity, bilaterally and through the EU and the UN, to press the DPRK to engage with the international community on human rights and to improve its record in this area.

Raoul Wallenberg

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any evidence on the fate of Raoul Wallenberg has been supplied to the Government by  (a) the government of Sweden and  (b) the government of Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: According to the Government's records, the only document supplied by the Swedish government related to the fate of Swedish citizen Raoul Wallenberg is the report by the Bilateral Swedish-Russian Commission published in 2000. The document is available on the internet at the following address:
	www.fritzes.se.
	Our records indicate that there is a public record file FO188/727, entitled 'Political relations between Sweden and the Soviet Union: Raoul Wallenberg, 1957', which is also available for inspection through the Public Records Office.
	The Government have no record of receiving evidence from the Government of Israel relating to the death of Raoul Wallenberg.

Raoul Wallenberg

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will ask the Russian authorities to publish their records relating to Raoul Wallenberg; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make representations to the government of Russia on the case of Raoul Wallenberg; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  on what occasions the Prime Minister or his predecessors have raised the case of Mr. Raoul Wallenberg with the government of  (a) Russia and  (b) the former Soviet Union; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The Government have no plans to request the Russian authorities to publish any records relating to Swedish citizen Mr. Raoul Wallenberg or to make any representations to the Russian government on this case. The case of Mr. Raoul Wallenberg is a matter for the Swedish government.
	We have no records to suggest that discussions between the Government and the Soviet or Russian governments relating to Mr. Raoul Wallenberg took place before or after 1991.

South Korea: Prisoners

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with the government of South Korea the involvement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in prisoner exchanges between South and North Korea.

Meg Munn: We are not aware of any prisoner exchanges between South and North Korea.
	The few North Korean citizens who do enter South Korea directly are interviewed by the authorities to determine if they wish to defect or to return to North Korea. All North Korean citizens are entitled to South Korean citizenship and have no need to claim refugee status. Those who wish to return are normally repatriated under arrangements made between the North and South Korean Red Cross societies. There is, therefore, no involvement of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Tamils

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the political situation of Tamils in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: holding answer 14 July 2008
	The UK's view is that there must be inclusive political negotiations for a just settlement that could satisfy the legitimate aspirations of all communities in Sri Lanka and promote democracy, stability and the observance of internationally accepted human rights principles.
	The Government have grave concerns about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. Issues of concern include the targeting of civilians, the recruitment of child soldiers in violation of international law, reports of mistreatment and of the intimidation of the media and continuing abductions and disappearances. Tamils are disproportionately affected.
	My noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown, recently visited Sri Lanka to reiterate the UK's concerns to the Sri Lankan Government and to urge them and representatives of all communities to improve the human rights situation for all of its citizens.

Zimbabwe: Females

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals the Government have put forward to seek to strengthen women's rights in Zimbabwe and their involvement in the political process.

Meg Munn: The Government continue to support the rights of women in Zimbabwe as part of the political process. We are pressing for a free, fair and transparent democratic process in Zimbabwe which meets international standards as well as the standards of the South African Development Community (SADC).
	Our embassy in Harare has provided support to women's empowerment groups and the Department for International Development is also working closely with the UN, other donors and women's groups to support women's rights.
	We will, with the EU and other international partners, support the African Union, SADC and the UN in encouraging a new government in Zimbabwe which permits full and equal humanitarian access and shows commitment to macroeconomic stabilisation, the rule of law, human rights and a democratic process which ensures the full involvement of women.

Zimbabwe: Females

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the Government has given to women's groups operating in Zimbabwe.

Meg Munn: The Government provide humanitarian assistance to a broad range of groups in Zimbabwe which include women's groups. Our assistance is saving the lives and livelihoods of Zimbabwe's poorest and most vulnerablein the context of a failed harvest, hyperinflation and economic hardship, internal displacement and the ravages of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. We stand ready to make further contributions to Zimbabwe's recovery once appropriate conditions are in place.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Carbon Emissions: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding from the public purse was provided to  (a) the Carbon Trust,  (b) Envirowise and  (c) the Energy Saving Trust in the latest 12 month period for which figures are available.

Phil Woolas: DEFRA provided funding to these organisations as follows:
	 (a) Total funding provided to the Carbon Trust in 2007-08 was 88 million to the nearest million. This figure is subject to audit.
	 (b) Total funding provided to Envirowise in England in 2007-08 was 22.19 including VAT.
	 (c) Total funding provided to the Energy Saving Trust in 2007-08 was 29 million in 2007-08 for the valuable work which they undertake to encourage and promote the sustainable and efficient use of energy.

Construction: Waste Disposal

Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to eliminate the illegal landfilling of construction waste, as part of its strategy to improve the efficiency and sustainability of the construction industry, with particular reference to plastic foam insulation.

Joan Ruddock: Construction waste was identified as a priority waste stream for action in DEFRA's waste strategy for England 2007. As part of this, in April 2008, we introduced site waste management plans on a mandatory basis in England for all construction projects worth over 300,000. One objective of these plans is to encourage the legal handling and disposal of construction waste.
	On the specific issue of plastic foam insulation, DEFRA officials have had a number of meetings with industry representatives over the last six months to discuss key issues around the practicality of identification, segregation and destruction of ozone-depleting substances in such foams.

Domestic Wastes: Waste Disposal

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance  (a) his Department and  (b) the waste and resources action programme has given to waste collection authorities on the size of bins for residual household rubbish.

Joan Ruddock: The Government believe local authorities are best placed to make decisions on the waste management strategy for their communities. Local authorities are free to choose how they fulfil their waste collection duties including the frequency of the collections, the priority, degree of effort and resources required.
	The authority can specify the number, size, construction and maintenance of receptacles, what can be placed in each, where and when they are to be placed for collection and can require the waste to be treated prior to placing it in a receptacle (usually washing or rinsing containers).
	Alternate weekly collection systems use more than one receptacle, so the guidance published by the waste and resources action programme (WRAP) in July 2007 offers some consideration of specific issues associated with the containers for residual waste.

Domestic Wastes: Waste Disposal

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many householders have been issued with fixed penalties for putting household waste out for collection at a time other than that specified by a local authority waste collection service in the latest period for which figures are available.

Joan Ruddock: My Department collates the number of fixed penalty notices for offences relating to 'waste receptacles', but the information cannot be disaggregated in the way requested. Data on the number of fixed penalty notices issued for offences in relation to waste receptacles (Section 47ZA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990) are available on the DEFRA website.

Fertilisers: Seas and Oceans

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of the merits of proposals to sell carbon offsets from the first generation of commercial scale ocean iron fertilisation experiments.

Phil Woolas: The Government supports the precautionary approach towards ocean iron fertilisation decided upon recently at the ninth conference of the parties of the UN convention on biological diversity. In line with this decision, our position is that commercial ocean iron fertilisation should not take place until there is a sufficient scientific basis on which to justify such activities.

Fertilisers: Seas and Oceans

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential environmental effects of ocean fertilisation.

Phil Woolas: The Government acknowledges the concerns over the risks posed by ocean fertilisation to biodiversity and supports the precautionary approach decided upon recently at the ninth conference of the parties of the UN convention on biological diversity. DEFRA currently has no plans to fund research into this technology. However, we do not want to rule out possible climate mitigation options at an early stage, and would wish to maintain the option of appropriate and strictly controlled scientific research where it could provide further information to help understand the impact of such technologies. We will continue to keep abreast of research underway in the global community.
	According to the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPPC), iron fertilisation of the oceans may offer a potential strategy for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by stimulating the growth of phytoplankton and thereby sequestering the carbon dioxide in the form of particulate organic carbon. However, the IPCC also stated that ocean iron fertilisation remains largely speculative, and many of the environmental side effects have yet to be assessed.

Flood Control

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent on flood prevention measures in each county in England in each year since 2005.

Phil Woolas: The Environment Agency allocates funding to stretches of river and areas at risk of flooding rather than to counties.
	The following table shows expenditure by Regional Flood Defence Committee and provides the total amount in capital grant to local authorities and Internal Drainage Boards.
	
		
			  Regional Flood Defence Committee  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 AnglianCentral 20.3 34.1 23.4 
			 AnglianEastern 43.1 49.7 52.8 
			 AnglianNorthern 42.9 38.6 34.9 
			 Midlands 57.1 63.7 58.0 
			 North EastNorthumbria 14.5 12.6 12.3 
			 North EastYorkshire 47.3 39.5 41.2 
			 North West 47.7 47.6 57.9 
			 Southern 68.4 52.4 60.4 
			 South WestSouth West 15.2 23.2 27.6 
			 South WestWessex 33.4 28.5 31.6 
			 Thames 121.9 113.9 118.0 
			 Total 511.8 503.8 518.1 
			 Local authority and Internal Drainage Boards 13 13 19

Floods: Insurance

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with insurers on areas adversely affected by the 2007 floods.

Phil Woolas: Ministerial colleagues and I have held several meetings with the Association of British Insurers and their members since the flooding last summer. At our most recent meeting on 10 July the insurers reported that, of their customers, they expected that fewer than 300 households would still be out of their homes by the end of July. At this meeting we also finalised an agreement to ensure that flood insurance remains widely available now and in the long term. I have placed a copy of the joint statement and supporting documents in the Libraries of the House.

Fly Tipping

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect on fly-tipping of the review of inert waste regulation.

Joan Ruddock: The Government have not made an assessment of the effect that the review of inert waste regulation has had on fly-tipping. The inert waste review considered a number of issues concerning inert waste recovery and disposal mainly linked to the implementation of the landfill directive. A consultation on inert waste regulation which sought views on possible improvements to address these issues closed in March 2008.

Forests

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made in identifying and engaging owners of undermanaged woodland since the publication of the England Woodfuel Strategy.

Joan Ruddock: This work is being led by the Forestry Commission, which has taken on four new staff to co-ordinate activities at national and regional levels. The Forestry Commission is running regional pilot schemes to identify and engage woodland owners through its woodfuel initiative. The information gathered will be used to complete the England woodfuel strategy implementation plan within the next six months.
	In addition the Forestry Commission is facilitating the formation of a supplier association and, with the Renewable Energy Association, is identifying and recording the location of wood fuelled boilers to help with the development of fuel supply from existing woodland in private ownership.
	The Forestry Commission is also working with the Regional Development Agencies to deliver grants to the forestry sector under the Rural Development programme for England to support infrastructure for woodfuel supply.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent steps the Government have taken to regulate the activities of the Warm Front scheme to protect the consumer.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 15 July 2008
	DEFRA employs independent quality assessors who provide two audit reports per year on scheme performance. These reports include large scale surveying of Warm Front clients to provide feedback on the standards of service provided, along with recommendations for Scheme improvements.
	In addition, a second consumer representative has been appointed to the Warm Front Scheme Management Board, to provide greater input and feedback on the scheme from a consumer's perspective.

Incinerators: Waste Disposal

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what requirements his Department imposes on the management of ash residues arising from pyrolysis of  (a) biodegradable municipal waste and  (b) other waste streams;
	(2)  what requirements his Department imposes on the management of solid residues arising from the pyrolysis of waste in circumstances where such residues may enter sewage systems;
	(3)  on how many occasions solid residues arising from the pyrolysis of municipal waste were flushed into the sewage system in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what classification his Department gives to each of the by-products arising from pyrolysis for waste management purposes.

Joan Ruddock: Incinerators, whether based on pyrolysis or other techniques, produce two main residues called Incinerator Bottom Ash (IBA) and Air Pollution Control (APC) residues. These waste residues may be recovered or disposed of in an appropriately permitted site or one that benefits from an exemption from the need for an environmental permit in a manner that prevents pollution of the environment or harm to human health. Management of waste residues is also subject to the Duty of Care and where appropriate the Hazardous Waste Regulations and must be transported by a registered waste carrier. Municipal waste incinerators, whether based on pyrolysis or otherwise, do not discharge their residues to sewage systems. Therefore, there are no figures on occasions when the residues were flushed into sewage systems in the last five years.
	Sewerage companies have powers to control and reduce discharges of trade effluent into sewers. If they consider a discharge to constitute trade effluent, their consent is required under the provisions of the Water Industry Act 1991. The consent may set conditions and require the elimination or diminution of any specified constituent of the trade effluent before it enters the sewer. Such a discharge without the company's agreement is a criminal offence.
	If the sewerage company does not classify the discharge as trade effluent, it is still an offence under section 111 of the 1991 Act, for a person to empty into a public sewer, any matter which is likely to injure the sewer, to interfere with the free flow of its contents or prejudice the treatment and disposal of its contents. Any person who is found guilty of an offence is liable to a fine or imprisonment, or both.
	In general, APC residues are classed as hazardous waste. Most IBA is likely to be non-hazardous waste. However, IBA is listed in the European Waste Catalogue as a 'mirror entry'. This means that IBA can be either hazardous or non-hazardous waste. IBA that possesses any one of the 14 hazardous properties (H1-H14) is classified as a hazardous waste and hence subject to Hazardous Waste Regulations.

Incinerators: Waste Disposal

Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the  (a) accessibility and  (b) capacity of facilities to destroy through incineration products containing ozone-depleting substances, with particular reference to those contained within plastic foam insulation.

Phil Woolas: There are two high temperature incinerators that can destroy ozone-depleting substances from plastic foam insulation and they are located in Ellesmere Port and Southampton.
	DEFRA officials have met with industry representatives to discuss the recovery for destruction of ozone-depleting substances from plastic foam insulation in buildings but further work is needed to scope the practicality of recovery, likely volumes of waste and the necessary destruction capacity.

Landfill: Contamination

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many landfill sites have been investigated as a result of suspected contamination with chemical waste by Monsanto.

Phil Woolas: The Environment Agency grants landfill permits, subject to conditions, authorising the types and quantities of waste that may be received. The permits do not normally authorise individual and specific sources of waste. The Environment Agency is therefore not able to state categorically which of 1,500-plus permitted operational and closed landfill sites in England and Wales have received waste from Monsanto.
	The lead regulatory authorities for contaminated land in England and Wales under part 2A of Environmental Protection Act are local authorities. Local authorities inspect their areas for the presence of contaminated land, including former landfills, under part 2A. DEFRA does not hold data on how many former landfills have been subject to local authority inspection to date or particular companies that may have been involved.
	Under the part 2A regime, the Environment Agency undertakes the inspection of a specific subset of sites known as 'special sites' on behalf of the local authorities. The Environment Agency has so far been involved with the investigation of over 30 former landfill sites. This includes Brofiscin in South Wales, where it is alleged Monsanto historically disposed of hazardous chemical waste.

Manure

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what representations his Department has received on the effects on horticulture of Aminopyralid in manure;
	(2)  how many incidents the Pesticides Safety Directorate has recorded regarding manure contaminated by Aminopyralid in the last 12 months.

Phil Woolas: The first inquiry relating to the potential effects of Aminopyralid in manure was received by the Pesticides Safety Directorate's helpline on 12 March 2008. Around 70 inquiries had been received up to 9 July 2008, primarily from amateur gardeners and allotment holders. It is not known how many reports of damage to crops are attributable to Aminopyralid.

Manure

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the effects on agricultural production of the use of manure containing Aminopyralid;
	(2)  what guidelines his Department has issued on the use of manure containing Aminopyralid; and how and to whom such guidance has been disseminated.

Phil Woolas: Aminopyralid has been granted provisional authorisation for use as a herbicide on grassland, following an evaluation of relevant data by the Pesticides Safety Directorate. These data indicated that Aminopyralid may remain in plant material from treated land and pass into the manure of livestock which eat such material. Susceptible crops may be adversely affected by the residues in the plant material.
	Labels of products which contain Aminopyralid therefore include warnings not to use manure from livestock which have eaten grass from treated land, or fodder derived from such grass, on susceptible crops or on land intended for growing such crops, until all plant material has fully decomposed. As with all plant protection products, users should always read and follow the label instructions; this is a statutory requirement. Some cases of damage to susceptible crops appear to have arisen because the label precautions on the use of manure may not always have been followed when manure has been supplied to allotment holders and gardeners.

Manure

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the risk to  (a) human and  (b) animal health of consuming vegetables grown in manure which contains Aminopyralid.

Phil Woolas: Aminopyralid is a herbicide designed for selective broad-leaved weed control in grassland. It is of low toxicity to mammals. Damage to vegetables from Aminopyralid residues in manure has arisen in part because the substance can persist in grass, hay or silage, and passes through the mammalian digestive system largely unaffected into the resultant manure, rather than being broken down.
	The Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) authorised the use of Aminopyralid on grassland on the basis of data which showed that there would be no unacceptable effects on animals fed on that grass, or on their meat or milk. PSD has now assessed additional information from the manufacturer that confirms that using manure which may contain residues of Aminopyralid in ground used to grow vegetables does not have implications for human or animal health. Even if manure were derived from animals fed only grass, or silage made from grass treated with Aminopyralid and plants took up all the aminopyralid present in that manure, the highest residues would not give rise to consumer health concerns and the vegetables should be safe to eat.

Waste Disposal

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the Waste and Resources Action Programme document, Management of green waste at civic amenity sites: a good practice guide.

Joan Ruddock: I am arranging for copies of the document requested to be placed in the Library of the House.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Big Lottery Fund: Regional Government

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding the Big Lottery Fund provides to each regional equality and diversity partnership.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Big Lottery Fund has advised that it has received no applications from regional organisations called equality and diversity partnerships.

Broadcasting Reception

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of households which cannot receive  (a) television transmission,  (b) the internet and  (c) a mobile phone signal.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	 (a) Ofcom estimate that less than 1.5 per cent. of UK homes are unable to receive the main four television services (BBC1, BBC2, ITV1 and Channel 4) in analogue form. Channel 5's analogue service is available to approximately 80 per cent. of the UK population. While classed as 'unserved' according to the broadcasters' technical criteria for television coverage planning, many viewers in this 1.5 per cent. of homes can actually receive some of the analogue television services with a good level of quality, or can receive all services with a poorer level of quality. The same services are available in digital form today to over 50 per cent. of homes by means of cable networks, to approximately 98 per cent. of homes by means of satellite transmission, and to over 80 per cent. of homes by means of digital terrestrial television. When digital switchover is complete, these public service television services will be available to 98.5 per cent. of homes via digital terrestrial transmission.
	 (b) The availability of fixed line telephony services to all of the UK under BT and Kingston Communications' universal service obligation means that all UK households are able to receive narrowband internet services. Ofcom data show that almost all UK households (over 99.9 per cent.) are connected to a DSL broadband-enabled local exchange, however a small proportion of lines in these areas will not be suitable for the delivery of broadband services, or will only be able to do so only at very low speeds, due to local technicalities such as line length or poor network quality. According to BT, 99.6 per cent. of its network is able to support broadband speeds of 512 kbit/s or above, although it is not possible to translate this into a proportion of households.
	 (c) Ofcom estimates that around 0.2 per cent. of the UK population live in an area where they are unable to receive second generation (2G) phone services. 99.8 per cent. of the UK population live within postal districts that have one or more operators with a network footprint that covers at least 95 per cent. of the postcode area. The remaining 0.2 per cent. of the population are generally located in deep rural locations with very small populations and topography that often presents physical barriers to radio waves.

Casinos

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the timetable for the review of the effect of the new casinos permitted under the Gambling Act 2005 is.

Gerry Sutcliffe: An assessment of the social and economic impact of the eight large and eight small casinos permitted under the Gambling Act will be conducted when the first of the new casinos has been trading for at least three years. The new casinos are not likely to be trading before 2010 or 2011 at the earliest. We do not expect the assessment to be completed before 2014.

Departmental Buildings

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his Department's accommodation costs were in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department's accommodations costs were as follows:
	
		
			
			 1997-98 5,287,565.22 
			 1998-99 4,653,525.96 
			 1999-2000 4,691,917.98 
			 2000-01 5,504,705.10 
			 2001-02 6,779,078.85 
			 2002-03 7,039,742.89 
			 2003-04 7,487,127.69 
			 2004-05 7,320,765.68 
			 2005-06 8,117,154.80 
			 2006-07 9,225,464.97 
			 2007-08 8,858,113.28 
		
	
	Accommodation costs include rent, business rates, service charges, utilities, maintenance and accommodation management charges.

European Union: Citizenship

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what Europe for Citizens programmes are operating in the UK.

Margaret Hodge: Projects receiving funding under the Europe for Citizens programme in the UK include town-twinning co-operation projects, structural support for public research, civil society organisations and projects promoting European remembrance of the victims of Nazism and Stalinism.

Holocaust Memorial Day: Finance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on events to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Heritage Memorial Day Trust is responsible for the annual, national commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day. This is not a Government initiative and, therefore, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has no budget for its promotion.
	The trust raises awareness, informs and educates about the Holocaust and its contemporary relevance, especially to issues of racism, prejudice and discrimination. It prompts action in the UK in favour of diversity, equality and harmony between communities. We believe that it is important to learn the lessons of the past to build a better future.

Home Information Packs

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many home information packs have been commissioned by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies to market a residential property; for which properties; at what cost; and whether a voluntary home condition report was purchased as part of the packs.

Gerry Sutcliffe: None.

Licensing laws

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 22 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 1810-12W, on licensing, if he will publish an updated list of local authorities with a designated cumulative impact area as of 2008.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department is currently collecting data on the number of cumulative impact areas on 31 March 2008 for the next statistical bulletin which we anticipate will be made publicly available in autumn 2008.

Orchestras: Finance

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding the  (a) Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,  (b) Hall Orchestra and  (c) City of Birmingham Orchestra has received from Arts Council England in each of the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: These orchestras are three of Arts Council England's regularly funded organisations. According to the Arts Council, they have received funding as set out in the following table. All of this funding has been from the Arts Council's grant in aid.
	
		
			   
			  Organisation  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 412,319 662,317 888,186 912,611 937,708 
			 Hall Concerts Society 1,718,090 1,841,681 1,955,496 2,009,300 2,064,600 
			 City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra 1,735,962 1,840,120 1,955,496 2,009,272 2,064,527

Public Houses: Closures

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of closures of establishments in the public house sector in  (a) 2000,  (b) 2003 and  (c) 2007.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department has not at any time made an estimate of the number of closures of establishments in the public house sector.

St. David's Day

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department took to celebrate St. David's Day in 2008.

Margaret Hodge: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport took no steps to celebrate St. David's Day in 2008.

St. David's Day

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on promoting St. David's Day in each of the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport did not spend anything on promoting St. David's Day in each of the last five years.

Theatres

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the  (a) seating capacity,  (b) occupancy rate,  (c) salary of the Chief Executive and  (d) amount of support provided from the public purse for each theatre supported by funds from the public purse was in the latest year for which figures are available.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is not recorded centrally, apart from the amount of support provided from the public purse for each theatre supported by funds from the public purse. This information, provided by Arts Council England, is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Arts Council England support for theatres 
			   
			  Organisation  Region  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Colchester Mercury Theatre Limited East 770,262 791,059 
			 Eastern Angles Theatre Company East 218,244 115,000 
			 Hoipolloi Theatre Company East 112,977 116,028 
			 New International Encounters East  150,000 
			 New Wolsey Theatre East 603,927 723,927 
			 Theatre Is East 170,494 175,097 
			 Theatre Resource East 56,039 57,552 
			 Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds East 127,155 130,588 
			 Trestle Theatre Company East 262,183 262,183 
			 Watford Palace Theatre East 717,651 737,028 
			 Derby City Council - Produced work EM  742,810 
			 First Movement EM 117,775 140,955 
			 High Peak Theatre Trust EM 44,370 45,570 
			 Leicester Theatre Trust EM 1,705,505 1,751,555 
			 Louth Playgoers EM 44,370 45,570 
			 Metro-Boulot-Dodo EM  60,000 
			 New Perspectives Theatre Co EM 261,720 268,785 
			 Northampton Theatres Trust EM 697,134 715,960 
			 Nottingham Theatre Trust EM 1,342,165 1,378,405 
			 Reckless Sleepers EM 49,440 90,000 
			 Theatre Writing Partnership EM 49,910 84,850 
			 Actors Touring Company (ATC) L 205,872 211,431 
			 Albert  Friends Instant Circus L 25,000 90,000 
			 Almeida Theatre Company Ltd L 976,575 1,002,943 
			 Alternative Theatre Company (The Bush) L 490,748 503,998 
			 Arcola Theatre Production Company L 97,500 150,000 
			 Artichoke L  500,000 
			 Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) L 506,763 635,000 
			 Bill Gee L  25,000 
			 Box Clever Theatre Company L 62,185 63,864 
			 Broadway Theatre, Barking L 40,000 40,000 
			 Cardboard Citizens L 158,891 163,181 
			 Cheek by Jowl L  250,000 
			 Circus Space L 298,880 323,880 
			 Clean Break Theatre Company L 196,988 220,000 
			 Collective Artistes L  110,000 
			 Company FZ L 25,000 90,000 
			 Company of Angels L 120,000 140,000 
			 Deafinitely Theatre L 68,624 120,000 
			 Donmar Warehouse Projects Ltd L 500,000 513,500 
			 Duckie L 68,624 145,000 
			 Emergency Exit Arts L 68,624 120,000 
			 English Stage Company (Royal Court Theatre) L 2,132,062 2,189,628 
			 English Touring Theatre (ETT) L 755,921 691,758 
			 Extant L  85,000 
			 Fevered Sleep L  85,000 
			 Frantic Theatre Company Ltd L 147,806 170,000 
			 Fuel L  60,000 
			 Gate Theatre L 282,582 290,212 
			 Graeae Theatre Company L 549,267 564,097 
			 Hackney Empire Ltd L 274,114 375,000 
			 Half Moon Young Peoples Theatre L 200,594 206,010 
			 Hampstead Theatre L 665,126 890,000 
			 Headlong Theatre Ltd L 673,572 691,758 
			 Improbable L 147,806 200,000 
			 Independent Street Arts Network L 30,000 90,000 
			 Julie McNamara L  60,000 
			 Kali Theatre Company L 150,000 200,000 
			 Kazzum Arts Project L 68,624 90,000 
			 London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT) L 659,848 350,000 
			 London International Mime Festival (LIMF) L 165,791 170,267 
			 Lyric Theatre Hammersmith L 938,210 963,542 
			 Marisa Carnesky L  85,000 
			 Millfield Arts Centre L 30,000 40,000 
			 Mimbre L 25,000 90,000 
			 National Youth Theatre of Great Britain L 211,151 311,151 
			 New Peckham Varieties L 84,988 110,000 
			 Nitro L 253,382 260,223 
			 Nutkhut L 100,000 102,700 
			 Ockham's Razor L  60,000 
			 Oily Cart Company L 232,934 239,223 
			 Orange Tree Theatre L 361,828 371,597 
			 Out of Joint L 521,544 535,626 
			 Oval House Theatre L 336,429 376,429 
			 Pacitti Company L 68,624 145,000 
			 Paines Plough L 248,103 270,000 
			 Peoples Palace Project L  60,000 
			 Polka Theatre for Children L 565,000 580,255 
			 Project Phakarma L  60,000 
			 Punchdrunk L  85,000 
			 Queens Theatre L 274,497 281,908 
			 Quicksilver Theatre L 250,126 120,000 
			 Red Room L 68,624 70,477 
			 Redbridge Drama Centre L 40,000 40,000 
			 Ridiculusmus Theatre Company L 68,624 70,477 
			 Royal National Theatre L 18,223,400 18,715,432 
			 Shared Experience Theatre L 366,037 375,920 
			 Shunt L 68,624 145,000 
			 Soho Theatre Company L 645,536 662,965 
			 Spare Tyre Theatre Company L 84,460 120,000 
			 Stratford Circus L 40,000 40,000 
			 Talawa Theatre Company L 420,000 431,340 
			 Tamasha Theatre Company Ltd L 291,670 320,000 
			 Tara Arts Group Ltd L 341,266 170,000 
			 Theatre Centre L 388,222 398,704 
			 Theatre de Complicite (Education) Ltd L 360,294 370,022 
			 Theatre Rites L 184,757 189,745 
			 Theatre Royal Stratford East L 831,624 854,078 
			 Tiata Fahodzi L 147,527 151,510 
			 Told by an Idiot L 90,000 120,000 
			 Tricycle Theatre Company L 722,841 742,358 
			 Unicorn Theatre for Children L 994,694 1,021,551 
			 Upswing Aerial L  60,000 
			 Vayu Naidu L 143,345 65,000 
			 Webplay L  41,080 
			 Yellow Earth Theatre L 150,000 154,050 
			 Young Vic Company L 1,471,368 1,511,095 
			 Eclipse Touring Grants NAT 125,000 128,375 
			 National Touring Contracts NAT 690,000 708,630 
			 Alnwick Playhouse Trust NE 36,935 37,932 
			 Arc NE 238,000 244,426 
			 Ctc Theatre NE 150,000 154,050 
			 Darlington Arts Centre NE 121,120 124,390 
			 Dodgy Clutch Staged Presentations NE 144,195 148,088 
			 Lawnmowers NE 33,275 34,173 
			 Live Theatre (Nett) Ltd NE 540,250 554,837 
			 Monster Productions NE 66,550 68,347 
			 National Association Of Youth Theatres NE 137,250 140,956 
			 Newcastle Theatre Royal Trust Ltd NE 47,040 47,040 
			 Northern Stage NE 1,245,000 1,277,993 
			 Ntc Touring Theatre Company Ltd NE 312,300 320,732 
			 Theatre Sans Frontieres NE 210,700 216,389 
			 Wansbeck DC NE 30,531 30,531 
			 Action Factory NW 107,000 109,889 
			 Action Transport Theatre Company NW 142,600 146,450 
			 Ashton Group Theatre, The NW 33,300 34,199 
			 Bolton Octagon Theatre NW 571,300 586,725 
			 Burnley Youth Theatre NW 51,000 52,377 
			 Chester Performs NW 170,000 150,000 
			 Collective Encounters NW  45,000 
			 Contact Theatre NW 863,200 886,506 
			 Dukes Playhouse NW 521,400 260,700 
			 Fittings Multimedia NW 75,700 77,744 
			 FUSE NW 89,600 109,312 
			 Horse And Bamboo Theatre Company NW 122,500 125,808 
			 Lip Service Theatre Company NW 39,200 40,258 
			 Liverpool Everyman  Playhouse NW 1,530,000 1,571,310 
			 M6 Theatre Company NW 137,700 165,240 
			 North West Playwrights NW 55,300 56,793 
			 Nuffield Theatre NW 82,200 84,419 
			 Oldham Coliseum Theatre NW 472,700 485,463 
			 Peshkar Productions NW 75,100 77,128 
			 Quarantine NW 70,000 80,500 
			 Quondam arts Trust NW 44,400 45,599 
			 Rasa Productions NW 46,300 47,550 
			 Rosehill Theatre NW 41,100 49,320 
			 Royal Exchange Theatre NW 2,310,700 2,373,089 
			 Spike Theatre NW 34,400 35,329 
			 Theatre by the Lake NW 436,700 448,491 
			 Tipp Centre NW 27,200 27,934 
			 Unity Theatre Company NW 241,500 248,021 
			 Walk The Plank NW 56,700 58,231 
			 Chichester Festival Theatre SE 1,530,847 1,572,180 
			 Forest Forge Theatre Company SE 116,799 119,953 
			 New Theatre Royal Trustees (Portsmouth) Ltd SE 34,840 56,126 
			 Nuffield Theatre SE 575,566 591,106 
			 Oxford Playhouse SE 277,966 285,472 
			 Oxfordshire Touring Theatre Company SE 188,010 193,086 
			 Pegasus Theatre SE 225,000 231,075 
			 Rifco Arts SE 123,345 126,676 
			 Watermill Theatre Ltd SE 310,621 319,008 
			 Yvonne Arnaud Theatre SE 436,026 447,799 
			 Bristol Old Vic SW 1,156,001 578,000 
			 Circomedia SW 105,576 108,427 
			 Forkbeard Fantasy SW 232,266 238,537 
			 Gloucestershire Everyman Theatre SW 374,090 384,190 
			 Kneehigh Theatre SW 205,369 360,914 
			 Miracle Theatre SW 94,282 96,828 
			 Natural Theatre Company SW 144,196 148,089 
			 Northcott Theatre SW 547,236 547,236 
			 Producing Theatre in Bristol SW  672,000 
			 Roses Theatre Trust Ltd SW 52,788 54,213 
			 Salisbury Playhouse SW 836,561 859,148 
			 Sixth Sense Theatre Company SW 87,496 89,858 
			 Theatre Alibi SW 166,935 171,442 
			 Theatre Royal Plymouth SW 1,174,558 1,206,271 
			 Travelling Light Theatre Company SW 128,448 131,916 
			 Belgrade Theatre Trust (Coventry) Ltd WM 975,701 1,002,045 
			 Big Brum Theatre in Education Company WM 80,715 82,894 
			 Birmingham Repertory Theatre Limited WM 1,678,434 1,723,752 
			 BME producer WM 127,559 72,466 
			 C  T WM 70,730 72,640 
			 Foursight Theatre Company WM 161,583 165,946 
			 Geese Theatre Company WM 27,729 28,478 
			 Lichfield Garrick WM 33,276 34,000 
			 Malvern Theatres Trust Ltd WM 55,460 56,957 
			 New Vic Theatre WM 903,629 948,810 
			 Open Theatre Company WM 100,804 103,525 
			 Pentabus Theatre WM 185,617 190,628 
			 Rideout (Creative Arts For Rehabilitation) WM 27,729 28,478 
			 Royal Shakespeare Company WM 14,780,600 15,179,676 
			 Script WM 44,800 46,010 
			 Stan's Cafe WM 50,913 103,063 
			 Talking Birds Theatre Company Ltd WM 50,913 58,550 
			 Theatre Absolute WM 56,791 58,325 
			 Blaize Y 45,710 46,944 
			 Chol Theatre Y 48,830 50,148 
			 Faceless Y 20,000 20,540 
			 Faulty Optic Y 84,460 86,740 
			 Forced Entertainment Ltd Y 264,470 271,611 
			 Freedom Studios (formerly Asian Theatre School) Y  86,000 
			 Freehand Theatre Y 20,000 20,540 
			 Full Body And The Voice Y 20,590 40,000 
			 Georgian Theatre Royal Y 21,120 30,000 
			 Greentop Community Circus Centre Y 20,000 20,540 
			 Harrogate Theatre Y 408,890 150,000 
			 Hull Truck Theatre Company Y 470,000 532,690 
			 Interplay Theatre Company Y 100,580 103,296 
			 IOU Theatre Y 167,490 172,012 
			 Mind The Gap Y 143,850 147,734 
			 National Student Drama Festival Y 52,790 54,215 
			 North Country Theatre Y 38,850 39,899 
			 Northern Broadsides Y 264,360 271,498 
			 Pilot Theatre Company Y 265,370 272,535 
			 Proper Job Theatre Y 87,340 89,698 
			 Red Ladder Theatre Company Y 235,150 241,499 
			 Sheffield Theatres Y 1,266,910 1,301,117 
			 Stephen Joseph Theatre Y 660,380 678,210 
			 The Old Meeting House Trust (Helmsley Arts Centre) Y 20,000 25,540 
			 Theatre Company Blah Blah Blah Y 77,810 79,911 
			 Third Angel Y 33,260 34,158 
			 Tutti Frutti Productions Y 34,310 86,750 
			 Unlimited Theatre Company Y 30,830 86,750 
			 West Yorkshire Playhouse Y 1,492,840 1,533,147 
			 York Theatre Royal Y 564,830 580,080

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are limitations on the quantity of fuel which can be transported by each of the military lorries operating in Afghanistan.

Des Browne: There are no Afghanistan-specific limitations placed on the quantity of fuel which the current in-service fuel tankers can transport when operating in that theatre.

Armed Forces: Food

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many operational ration packs his Department has purchased in each of the last five years.

Bob Ainsworth: In the last five years the MOD has purchased 9.8 million 24 Hr Operational Ration Packs.

Armed Forces: Food

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) content and  (b) (i) nutritional and (ii) calorific value is of an operational ration pack.

Bob Ainsworth: The General Purpose (GP) 24 Hr Operational Ration Packs (ORP) consists of 10 menus containing meat. In addition there are Sikh/Hindu, Halal and Vegetarian variants each of which has five menus. Each individual menu contains a hot breakfast, snack lunch and hot meal as well as common items such as oatmeal blocks, fruit and brown biscuits, chocolate, boiled sweets, yeast extract, coffee and tea sachets, sugar and whitener, Tabasco sauce, chewing gum, waterproof matches, purification tablets and tissues. All ORP variants also contain an isotonic lemon or orange drink, hot chocolate powder and a dessert such as chocolate sponge pudding. The meals are packed into foil pouches, are menu specific and can be eaten hot or cold.
	Nutritionally, the 24 Hr ORP provides a soldier with the necessary balanced diet to sustain him/her for 24 hours. Each menu in the 24 Hr ORP is measured against this and meets the required values as shown:
	
		
			   Gm  Percentage daily  energy  intake 
			 Protein 90-108 10-12 
			 Fat 120 30 
			 Carbohydrate 500 55 
			 Fibre 18  
		
	
	The ORP is designed for use in a temperate climate for which the recommended calorific intake in adult males and females aged 19-50 is 3,600 kcals, and currently contains a calorific range between 3,660-4,200 kcals, depending on the chosen menu.
	Data relating to the recently launched multi climate ration due for introduction next year are not yet available; each menu is currently being analysed by a state registered dietician at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.

Armed Forces: Scotland

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide a breakdown by region of the  (a) number and  (b) cost of properties rented as substitute service family accommodation and substitute single living accommodation in (i) Scotland and (ii) Northern Ireland.

Derek Twigg: Substitute Service Family Accommodation (SSFA) and Substitute Single Service Accommodation (SSSA) are not used in Northern Ireland. Details of SSFA and SSSA rented in Scotland, as at July 2008, are given in the following table:
	
		
			  Location  Number of SSSA   per calendar month  Number of SSFA   per calendar month 
			 Aberdeen 24 14,554.00 1 800.00 
			 Alexandria 1 695.00 2 2,450.00 
			 Alloa 3 1,715.00 0 0 
			 Alva 0 0 1 1,286.25 
			 Arbroath 0 0 2 2,235.90 
			 Aviemore 2 1,300.00 0 0 
			 Ayr 16 10,721.41 0 0 
			 Ballachulish 2 1,400.85 0 0 
			 Banchory 1 510.00 0 0 
			 Bathgate 2 1,095.00 0 0 
			 Bridge of Allan 1 550.00 0 0 
			 Causewayhead 1 560.00 0 0 
			 Cambus Barron 0 0 1 1,725.00 
			 Cupar 1 755.00 0 0 
			 Danestone 0 0 1 1,550.00 
			 Dingwall 2 1,350.00 0 0 
			 Dollar 0 0 1 785.00 
			 Dumfries 2 737.40 0 0 
			 Dunblane 1 575.00 0 0 
			 Dundee 24 14,513.34 0 0 
			 Dunfermline 4 2,030.30 0 0 
			 Dunoon 1 595.00 0 0 
			 Edinburgh 48 34,038.65 0 0 
			 Elgin 1 475.00 0 0 
			 Ellon 0 0 1 950.00 
			 Falkirk 1 475.00 0 0 
			 Galashiels 1 470.00 1 625.00 
			 Glasgow 228 36,824.18 1 1,671.00 
			 Gourock 2 962.47 0 0 
			 Grantown-on-Spey 6 3,275.70 0 0 
			 Greenock 2 1,120.00 0 0 
			 Halkirk 1 525.00 0 0 
			 Helensburgh 7 7,720.00 0 0 
			 Hyndland 2 1,323.75 0 0 
			 Inverkeithing 1 575 0 0 
			 Inverness 11 7,255.00 0 0 
			 Keith 1 475.00 0 0 
			 Kirkcaldy 3 2,263.50 0 0 
			 Maybole 1 600.00 0 0 
			 Menstrie 1 500.00 0 0 
			 Montrose 0 0 1 1,050.00 
			 Paisley 3 1,724.40 0 0 
			 Peebles 0 0 1 925.00 
			 Perth 8 4,608.20 0 0 
			 Port Glasgow 0 0 1 775.00 
			 Prestwick 15 9,721.39 0 0 
			 Renfrew 3 1,820.00 0 0 
			 Shetland 1 520.00 0 0 
			 Stirling 13 7,712.18 3 3,086.10 
			 Stranraer 2 1,030.00 0 0 
			 Tain 2 1,040.00 0 0 
			 Thurso 1 525.00 0 0 
			 Troon 10 5,640.00 0 0 
			 Uddingston 1 613.00 0 0 
			 Westhill 0 0 1 526.03 
			 Wick 1 450.00 0 0

Armed Forces: Vehicles

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been allocated to urgent operational requirement spending on vehicles since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which armoured vehicles procured since 1997 have been paid for out of  (a) planned budgetary provision and  (b) urgent operational requirements provision.

Bob Ainsworth: Since 1997 Viking, Panther, Vector, Titan, Trojan, Beach Recovery Vehicle, Challenger II and Challenger II Driver Training tanks have been paid for out of planned budgetary provision. Mastiff vehicles and ambulances and Vector ambulances were procured as Urgent Operational Requirements.

Departmental ICT

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) mobile telephones,  (b) personal digital assistants and  (c) laptop computers issued to departmental staff were reported (i) lost, (ii) missing and (iii) stolen in each year since 2001.

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many universal serial bus flash memory data storage devices used to store  (a) restricted,  (b) confidential,  (c) secret and  (d) top secret data have been lost by or stolen from his Department in each year since 2001.

Bob Ainsworth: As a result of the recent theft of a laptop, the Ministry of Defence has initiated an investigation into the details of all lost or stolen electronic media since 2003. This investigation involves the collation and examination of reports from across the Department including final disposal action, where available. While every effort is being made to gather the information as quickly and accurately as possible, not all the details are currently available. In addition, it should be noted that details of such incidents were not collated centrally before 2003 and therefore will not be available.
	I will write to the hon. Members when the information has been collated and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
	 Substantive answer from Bob Ainsworth to Sarah Teather and Liam Fox:
	I undertook to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question on 18 February 2008, (Official Report, column 95W) about universal serial bus (USB) flash memory data storage devices lost or stolen in each year since 2001. No centralised records were maintained before 2003 and it has therefore not been possible to provide the information for earlier years. The figures below continue to be adjusted as a result of additional thefts and losses along with subsequent clarification of historic incidents. As a result of the investigation into details of electronic media lost/stolen since 2003 which I announced on 31 March 2008, (Official Report, column 517W), details on the number of USB data storage devices reported as lost or stolen from the Department since 2003 are set out in the following table.
	
		
			   Unclassified/none  Restricted  Confidential  Secret  Top secret  Not determined  Total 
			  2003
			 Loss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Stolen 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 
			  2004
			 Loss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Stolen 24 1 0 0 0 2 27 
			 
			  2005
			 Loss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Stolen 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 
			 
			  2006
			 Loss 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 
			 Stolen 2 52 0 0 0 2 56 
			 
			  2007
			 Loss 0 6 0 1 0 0 7 
			 Stolen 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 
			 
			  2008(1)
			 Loss 1 19 0 3 0 0 23 
			 Stolen 1 2 0 0 0 0 3 
			 (1) Up to 25 June 2008. 
		
	
	In some instances it has not been possible to determine the level of Protective Marking (classification) as it was not established when the incident was reported.

Departmental ICT

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's personal digital assistants have been  (a) lost and  (b) stolen in each of the last five years; and what the value of those items was.

Bob Ainsworth: As a result of the recent theft of a laptop, the Ministry of Defence has initiated an investigation into the details of all lost or stolen electronic media, including PDAs, since 2003. This process involves examining and collating reports from across the Ministry of Defence including final disposal action.
	While every effort is being made to gather the information expeditiously, not all the details are presently available.
	I will write to the hon. Member when the information is available and arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House
	 Substantive answer from Bob Ainsworth to Mark Hoban:
	I undertook to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question on 18 February 2008, (Official Report, column 95W), about lost and stolen personal digital assistants (PDAs) in each of the last five years. The following table shows the number of official issue PDAs centrally reported as lost or stolen from the Department since 2003. These figures are derived from the data collated as a result of the investigation into details of computer and other electronic media lost/stolen since 2003 and provided to Sir Edmund Burton as part of his review.
	
		
			  PDAs 
			   Lost  Stolen 
			 2003 0 1 
			 2004 1 2 
			 2005 1 1 
			 2006 1 1 
			 2007 1 2 
			 2008 (up to 25 June 2008) 0 1 
			   
			 Total value () 3,000 
		
	
	The value is based on an approximate replacement cost of 250.

EU Defence Policy

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2008,  Official Report, column 721W, on EU defence policy, how many of the UK military staff worked  (a) exclusively on European Union matters and  (b) on both NATO and UK military staff European Union matters in each month since September 2007; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the full description of each post identified.

Des Browne: All UK military personnel seconded to the EU Military Staff work exclusively on European Union matters.
	Job titles and descriptions for the posts currently filled by UK military personnel and MOD civilian staff attached to the European Union Military Staff (EUMS), European Union Military Committee (EUMC) and other EU institutions are as follows:
	 EU military staff
	Director General of the EU Military Staff (DGEUMS): Responsible for leading the efficient functioning of the Military Staff in accordance with the agreed EUMS terms of reference. Responsible for the provision of early warning, situation assessment and strategic planning for missions and tasks foreseen in the treaty on European Union (TEU), including those identified in the European Security Strategy.
	Personal Staff Officer (PSO) to DGEUMS: Supports DGEUMS in all external relations issues, including the preparation of background information, in particular with regard to public relations correspondence.
	Concepts and Capabilities DivisionChief of Concepts Branch: Directs, co-ordinates and supervises all branch work.
	Civilian-Military CellChief of Civilian/Military Strategic Planning Branch: Directs, co-ordinates and supervises all branch work.
	Policy and Plans Division, Doctrine and Concepts BranchStaff Officer: Contributes to the elaboration of the doctrinal and conceptual aspects of the EUMS contribution to the development of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
	Operations and Exercises Division, Crisis Response Planning/Current Operations BranchStaff Officer: Contributes to the development of operational policy and conceptual documents.
	Logistics and Resources Division, Resources Support BranchStaff Officer: Contributes input and assessment concerning all movement and transportation (M and T) aspects, including Strategic Lift, to military strategic planning.
	Intelligence Division, Production BranchStaff Officer: Contributes to the analysis of documentation received and the production of intelligence reports and information for current intelligence and early warning.
	Intelligence Division, Requirements BranchStaff Officer: Handles and administrates the outflow of information in the Data Management Cell and is responsible for advice on Intelligence collation and dissemination.
	Executive Office of the Deputy Director General/Chief of Staff EUMSStaff Officer: Contributes to the co-ordination of EUMS external interface with military delegations of EU member states and third nations, other EU bodies, NATO, UN and other international bodies.
	EU Cell (SHAPE)Staff Officer: Contributes to matters concerning the EU-NATO strategic partnership, military strategic planning aspects and EU politico-military matters.
	Civilian-Military Cell, Civilian/Military Strategic Planning BranchStaff Officer: Contributes to the military input to strategic civilian/military contingency planning, the development of concepts and doctrines for civilian/military operations and the process of strategic crisis response planning for EU-led crisis management operations.
	Civilian-Military Cell, Military Assessment and Planning (MAP) BranchStaff Officer: Contributes to the military assessment of potential or emerging crisis situations and military strategic advance and crisis response planning.
	Communication and Information Systems (CIS) Division, Policy and Requirements BranchStaff Officer: Contributes to the formulation of CIS policy, plans and requirements in co-ordination with member states, NATO and other international organisations.
	Communication and Information Systems Division, Policy and Requirements BranchStaff Officer: Contributes to the formulation of all geographic aspects, planning, requirements, procedures and support for military strategic options envisaged for EU-led operations and exercises.
	Communication and Information System Division, Information Technology and Security (ITS) BranchStaff Officer: Administrator of the secure networks and links in close co-ordination with the INFOSEC office of the General Secretariat of the Council, and a member of the Security Accreditation Team for EUMS secure systems.
	DGEUMS' Personal StaffAdjoint Assistant: Responsible for providing personal administrative assistance to DGEUMS in his daily work.
	DGEUMS' Personal StaffPersonal Staff Co-ordinator: Responsible for assisting DGEUMS in his daily work.
	 EU Military Committee
	Military Assistant to the Chairman of the EU Military Committee (CEUMC): Responsible for the provision of written/oral briefings and advice to CEUMC.
	 European Defence Agency
	Capabilities Director: Responsible for the leading of agency work in ESDP activities related to capabilities development, from goal definition to project design, and including capability harmonisation, assessment and evaluation.
	Head of Capabilities Development Support Unit: Supports the Capabilities Director in the co-ordination of the Directorate's work, and in managing external interfaces (with member states, EUMS and other key stakeholders).
	Research and Technology (R and T) Assistant Director: Responsible for preparing strategies and policies for increasing co-operation and strengthening of defence R and T and the European defence technological and industrial base.
	Principal Officer for Armaments Co-operation: Responsible for supporting the Armaments Director in his relations with OCCAR (Organisation conjointe de coopration en matire d'armement) and member states regarding the management of co-operative programs.
	Senior Officer for Defence Market: Responsible for assessing and analysing the European Defence Equipment Market including collecting, comparing and reporting quantitative and qualitative data, and ensuring close relations with the Commission, industry and others regarding industrial issues.
	Principal Officer for Defence Industry: Responsible for contributing to assessing and analysing the European defence technological and industrial base (DTIB), preparing strategies and policies regarding DTIB and developing measures for enhanced security of supply of Defence goods between European nations.
	 Other EU institutions
	European Council General SecretariatSeconded National Expert: Desk officer in DG E VIIIExternal Relations, responsible for providing advice and briefings on EUFOR ALTHEA (EU military mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina).
	European CommissionSeconded National Expert: Desk officer in DG Environment.
	European Global Navigation Satellite System Supervisory Authority (GSA)Seconded National Expert: Security advisor and project officer for the Galileo project.

Iraq: Asylum

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the protection strategy for the dependants of Iraqi former UK interpreters.

Des Browne: We have various procedures in place to minimise the risk of interpreters or their dependants being identified as working with British forces. All employees are also advised on fundamental security precautions for their and their families' safety outside working hours. On leaving our employ, those eligible for the Locally Employed Staff Assistance Scheme can choose to apply for resettlement in the UK with those financially dependent upon them. Alternatively, a financial package is offered to assist their relocation within Iraq or elsewhere in the region. All of these measures are kept under continuous review to ensure they are appropriate for the prevailing security situation.

RAF Halton

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel have received training from the Specialist Training School at RAF Halton in each year since 1998.

Bob Ainsworth: The following table gives the number of the courses delivered by the Specialist Training School (STS) at RAF Halton. Information is only available from financial year 2003-04.
	
		
			  Financial year  Armed forces personnel 
			 2003-04 3,687 
			 2004-05 4,328 
			 2005-06 4,841 
			 2006-07 4,170 
			 2007-08 3,616 
		
	
	The figures exclude the 'road shows' training delivered by STS staff away from RAF Halton, as no nominal rolls are taken at these events.

Warships

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the  (a) unit cost and  (b) date of commissioning of each Type 42 Destroyer was;
	(2)  what the  (a) unit cost and  (b) date of commissioning of (i) HMS Albion and (ii) HMS Bulwark was;
	(3)  what the  (a) unit cost and  (b) date of commissioning of each Type 22 frigate was.

Bob Ainsworth: The hon. Member may find it useful to view the answer given by the then Under-Secretary of State, Defence Procurement to the then hon. Member for Glasgow Govan (Jim Sillars) on 23 October 1989,  Official Report, column 358 as it includes information about build costs of various Royal Navy and RFA vessels including the costs for all Type 42 Destroyers and most of the Type 22 Frigates.
	Due to the age of the Type 42 Destroyers and the first two batches of Type 22 Frigates, records that would enable a ready estimate today of their cost are no longer held centrally, and to establish those now would incur a disproportionate cost.
	The following table shows the original hull costs of the third batch of Type 22 Frigates when they were commissionedthey do not include other costs, such as those for Government Furnished Equipment (GFE)as they are not held centrally for each ship and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Ship  Original cost ( million) 
			 HMS Cornwall 131.05 
			 HMS Cumberland 141.17 
			 HMS Campbeltown 161.97 
			 HMS Chatham 175.28 
		
	
	The build contract costs, as at 1 June 2004, for the Landing Platform Dock (LPD) vessels HM Ships Albion and Bulwark are shown in the following table and do not include other costs such as GFE.
	
		
			  Ship  Build cost ( million) 
			 HMS Albion 277.33 
			 HMS Bulwark 188.86 
		
	
	The commissioning dates of each of the Type 42 Destroyers, Type 22 Frigates and HM Ships Albion and Bulwark are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Ship  Date commissioned 
			  Type 42 Destroyer  
			 HMS Sheffield 16 February 1975 
			 HMS Coventry 10 November 1978 
			 HMS Birmingham 3 December 1976 
			 HMS Newcastle 23 March 1978 
			 HMS Glasgow 24 May 1979 
			 HMS Cardiff 24 September 1979 
			 HMS Exeter 19 September 1980 
			 HMS Southampton 31 October 1981 
			 HMS Nottingham 14 April 1983 
			 HMS Liverpool 1 July 1982 
			 HMS Manchester 16 December 1982 
			 HMS Gloucester 11 September 1985 
			 HMS Edinburgh 17 December 1985 
			 HMS York 9 August 1985 
			   
			  Type 22 Frigate  
			 HMS Cornwall 23 April 1988 
			 HMS Cumberland 10 June l989 
			 HMS Campbeltown 27 May 1989 
			 HMS Chatham 4 May 1990 
			 HMS Boxer 22 December l983 
			 HMS Beaver 13 December 1984 
			 HMS Brave 4 July 1986 
			 HMS London 5 June 1987 
			 HMS Sheffield 26 July 1988 
			 HMS Coventry 14 0ctober l988 
			 HMS Broadsword 4 May 1979 
			 HMS Battleaxe 28 March 1980 
			 HMS Brilliant 15 May 1981 
			 HMS Brazen 2 July 1982 
			   
			  Landing Platform Dock  
			 HMS Albion 19 June 2003 
			 HMS Bulwark 28 April 2005

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Childbirth

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of  (a) the percentage of children living in one parent families,  (b) the number of live births per thousand teenage women and  (c) the percentage of children born outside marriage in the last 10 years for which figures are available, broken down by (i) social class, (ii) income, (iii) race and (iv) geographic location.

Tom Watson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 July 2008:
	As the National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question about what estimates are available for (a) the percentage of children living in one parent families, (b) the number of live births per 1,000 teenage women and (c) the percentage of children born outside marriage in the last 10 years for which figures are available, broken down by (i) social class, (ii) income, (iii) race and (iv) geographic location. (216783)
	Part (a)One parent families
	The percentage of dependent children living in lone parent families in the United Kingdom can be estimated using the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Table 1 (below) shows UK estimates. Estimates broken down by (i) social class, (ii) income, (iii) race and (iv) geographic location are not readily available to answer the question fully for all years and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Table 1: Dependent children in the UK 
			   Proportion of dependent children living in lone parent families (percentage) 
			 1998 22 
			 1999 22 
			 2000 22 
			 2001 22 
			 2002 23 
			 2003 23 
			 2004 23 
			 2005 24 
			 2006 24 
			 2007 24 
			  Source: LFS quarterly data (average of Spring and Autumn seasonal quarters for all years except for 2006 and 2007 where data are for the calendar quarter April to June only). 
		
	
	There are two existing pieces of information that provide partial answers to part (a). For social class, data are available for 2001 only.
	The proportion of dependent children in households in England and Wales by number of birth parents and the NS-SEC (National Statistics Socio-economic Classification) of the household reference person, according to the 2001 Census are available in the response to a recent parliamentary question by David Laws MP (Hansard 187143: 22 Feb 2008 : Column 1107W). For ethnicity, data are available for 2007 only. Estimates of the proportion of dependent children living in lone parent families in United Kingdom by ethnicity are available for 2007 using the LFS in the response to a parliamentary question by David Laws MP (Hansard 201194: 24th April 2008: Column 2204W).
	The Family Resources Survey (FRS) contains information on both family type and income. This is available in the annual FRS report: Family Resources Survey 2006-07 (published by DWP [link below] see: Table 3.5: Households by composition and total weekly household income). Information is also available in the report: Households Below Average Income (HBAI) 1994/95-2006/07 (published by DWP [link below] see: Table 4.1 (BHC): Quintile distribution of income for children by various family and household characteristics, United Kingdom).
	Family Resources Survey 2006-07
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/frs/2006_07/
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/frs/2006_07/chapter3.pdf
	Households Below Average Income (HBAI) 1994/95-2006/07
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbai/hbai2007/contents.asp
	httD://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbai/hbai2007/pdf_files/full_hbai08.pdf
	Part (b)The number of live births per 1,000 teenage women
	Figures on live births are available from birth registration. The latest year for which figures are available is 2006.
	(i) social class
	Since 2001, NS-SEC has been used to provide a socio-economic classification for all official statistics. The number of live births per 1,000 teenage women broken down by NS-SEC would require population estimates broken down by age, sex and NS-SEC. This information is not routinely available and for teenage women NS-SEC is likely to be unreliable. Consequently it is not possible to provide these figures.
	(ii) and (iii) income and ethnicity
	Information on income and ethnicity is not collected at birth registration hence it is not possible to provide the number of live births to teenage women broken down by these variables.
	(iv) geographical location
	Births are assigned to an area according to the usual residence of the mother, as stated at registration.
	Table 2: Number of live births per 1,000 teenage women by unitary authority and local authority, England and Wales, 1997 to 2006
	Part (c)The percentage of children born outside marriage
	The percentage of children born outside marriage is also derived using figures on live births available from birth registration.
	(i) social class
	The classification used for social class prior to 2001 is not directly comparable with NS-SEC. For this reason figures broken down by NS-SEC are only provided back to 2001. Information on mother's occupation and employment, from which NS-SEC is derived, is only coded for a sample of one in ten births. The figures provided broken down by NS-SEC are therefore estimates based on a ten per cent sample.
	Table 3: Percentage of children born outside marriage for each National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC) of the mother, England and Wales, 2001 to 2006
	(ii) and (iii) income and ethnicity
	For reasons stated in part (b) it is not possible to produce these figures broken down by income and ethnicity.
	(iv) geographical location
	The percentage of children born outside marriage by area of usual residence of mother is published annually in Key Population and Vital Statistics (KPVS), table 4.2. These figures have been collated in table 4, for the years 1998 to 2006. It is not possible to provide figures for 1997 because births data for 1997 were revised after the publication of the 1997 KPVS volume.
	Table 4: Percentage of children born outside marriage by area, United Kingdom, 1998 to 2006
	For more detail on data collated and the individual footnotes associated with each year please refer to the individual volumes available on the web at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=539
	Copies of the tables are available in the House of Commons Library.

Community Infrastructure Levy

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the Office for National Statistics will classify the Community Infrastructure Levy as a tax.

Tom Watson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 July 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking whether the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will classify the Community Infrastructure Levy as a tax. (217938)
	It is not standard practice for ONS to be involved in the classification of policy proposals. The proposed Community Infrastructure Levy will only be referred to ONS for classification if the final arrangements, once agreed, are not covered by the classification guidance referred to below.
	The ONS national accounts classification process is described within the Statistical Integration and Classification Protocol annex published on the National Statistics website:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/about/national_statistics/cop/downloads/NSCodeofPractice2.pdf
	As noted in the protocol annex,
	Most of the financial information needed to produce the central government sector accounts is provided by government departments and agencies and routed through HM Treasury. ONS and HM Treasury have produced guidelines to help government departments classify their activities for National Accounts purposes. These have been circulated to departments with the expectation that most cases in departments will be settled by reference to the guidelines without the need for any consultation.
	For cases not clearly covered by this guidance, policy departmentsincluding HM Treasurywill refer issues to HM Treasury's classification branch who act as technical experts and answer the straightforward queries on behalf of ONS. For those queries that are not straightforward, HM Treasury classification branch will ask ONS to interpret the guidance and to make a classification decision. The guidance for departments is published on the HM Treasury website. The relevant document relates to government receipts and can be found using the following link
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/B/F/classification_receipts.pdf

Departmental Freedom of Information

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests to the Cabinet Office are being considered on grounds of a possible public interest exemption more than  (a) three months,  (b) six months,  (c) nine months and  (d) 12 months after the initial request was made without a decision or refusal notice having been issued;
	(2)  what the average time taken by his Department to consider the application of a possible public interest exemption was in relation to a Freedom of Information  (a) initial request and  (b) internal review since the Act came into force.

Edward Miliband: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 June 2008,  Official Report, column 123W.

Departmental Freedom of Information

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many freedom of information requests the Cabinet Office received in 2007-08; what each request was for; and what action has been taken on each.

Edward Miliband: Statistical information on the requests received by the Cabinet Office in 2007 is available in the Ministry of Justice's third annual report on the operation of the Freedom of Information Act in central Government. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House and are also available on the Ministry of Justice's website at the following address:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/foi-report-2007-final-web.pdf
	Information on the requests received by the department in 2008 will be published in the Ministry of Justice's fourth annual report. Information about the detail of individual requests and the action taken could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental ICT

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many staff have access to the Prime Minister's Office's IT infrastructure at their home.

Tom Watson: The Prime Minister's Office is part of the Cabinet Office.
	Within the Cabinet Office 442 staff have access to the corporate IT networks from their homes.

Economic and Monetary Union

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2008,  Official Report, column 1187W, on economic and monetary union, if he will place a copy of the Central Office of Information's euro changeover plan in the Library when it is published.

Tom Watson: A copy of the Central Office of Information's euro changeover plan will be placed in the Library of the House when it is published.

Morning Star

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many copies of the  Morning Star are purchased each day by the Media Monitoring Unit.

Tom Watson: No copies of the  Morning Star are purchased by the Media Monitoring Unit.

Non-profit Making Associations

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to develop the capacity of the social enterprise sector to deliver public services; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: In June 2008, I announced a new 6 million investment from Capacitybuilders for social enterprise support over the next three years.
	This programme will help build the capacity of social enterprises to deliver public services by improving the support system through having more accredited advisers and programmes such as mentoring and developing emerging markets, depending on regional priorities.

Non-profit Making Associations

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions he has had on social enterprise as part of the development of the proposals in the Enterprise White Paper.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Third Sector worked closely with BERR during the drafting of the enterprise White Paper to ensure the paper both recognised the important role of social enterprise, and that the measures included were both relevant to and inclusive of social enterprise. I met the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Competitiveness to discuss the inclusion of social enterprise in the paper. The resulting White Paper is applicable to all types of enterprise and the measures proposed recognise social enterprise as a distinct form.

Non-profit Making Associations: Finance

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much he provided to the  (a) social enterprise and  (b) voluntary and community sector in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: For breakdowns of Active Communities Directorate and Social Enterprise Unit spending from 1998-99 to 2005-06, prior to the creation of the Office of the Third Sector, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells (Greg Clark) on 8 October 2007,  Official Report, column 4W.
	Since May 2006 the OTS has run funding streams covering the whole of the third sector and some specifically targeted at certain parts of the sector. A breakdown of the figures for 2006-07 can be found online in the annual report and resource accounts 2006-07 via the following address:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/reports/~/media/assets/www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/publications/reports/annualreport/resourceaccounts0607%20pdf.ashx
	Copies are also available in the Libraries of the House.
	The figures for 2007-08 are to be published shortly in the annual report and resource accounts 2007-08. The report will be published on the Cabinet Office website and copies made available in the Libraries of the House.

TREASURY

Child Benefit: EU Nationals

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many nationals of each A8 country were receiving child benefit for a child or children living in another EEA member state at the end of June 2008; and in respect of how many such children child benefit was being paid on that date.

Jane Kennedy: Around 7.5 million families are currently claiming child benefit for around 13 million children. Out of that total, at the end of June 2008, around 0.3 per cent. (26,703) were ongoing child benefit awards to A8 nationals recorded as receiving child benefit for 44,008 children living in another EEA member state. These awards are made by virtue of EC social security co-ordinating regulations which the UK has administered since it joined the European Economic Community in 1973.
	The estimated breakdown by nationality is as follows.
	
		
			  Country  Number of children included in awards  Number of awards at 30 June 2008 
			 Czech Republic 266 160 
			 Estonia 26 15 
			 Hungary 90 54 
			 Latvia 334 259 
			 Lithuania 1,040 709 
			 Poland 39,867 24,135 
			 Slovakia 2,382 1,369 
			 Slovenia 3 2 
			 Total 44,008 26,703

Departmental Sick Leave

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of staff in his Department have had more than two periods of sickness absence of less than five days in each of the last three years.

Angela Eagle: The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mapeley

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether consideration was given to the status of Mapeley as a Guernsey-based company when choosing it as a strategic partner for HM Revenue and Customs.

Jane Kennedy: The contract to provide serviced accommodation followed an open competition which was in accordance with European Community and World Trade Organisation rules. The Mapeley bid provided the best value for money for the Departments and the taxpayer.

Non-domestic Rates: Wales

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2008,  Official Report, column 1627W, on taxation, whether  (a) the 2005 business rates revaluation and  (b) the most recent council tax revaluation in Wales were revenue neutral.

Paul Murphy: I have been asked to reply.
	The 2005 business rates and 2005 council tax revaluation in Wales were revenue-neutral. The overall increase in receipts in the year of revaluation arose from councils' decisions to increase council tax rates, and were broadly in line with increases in the previous years.

Revenue and Customs: Chorley

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2008,  Official Report, column 966W, on HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC): Chorley, what the evidential basis is for his assessment that the effects on Chorley residents of the vacating of the HMRC office there will be minimal.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 15 July 2008
	Further to the answer I gave my hon. Friend on 2 July 2008,  Official Report, column 966W, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has given a commitment to continue to provide inquiry centre services in locations where decisions have been made to withdraw, as is the case with Chorley. As a result, the services HMRC provides directly to the population of Chorley will remain unaffected.

Revenue and Customs: Chorley

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Lingmell House, Chorley are  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time; how many and what proportion of HMRC staff at this office will be (i) relocated, (ii) made redundant and (iii) undergo some other change in employment conditions as a result of HMRC plans; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 15 July 2008
	As at 1 July 2008, there were 54 full-time staff and 23 part-time staff working for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) at Lingmell House Chorley.
	Alternative locations for all staff in Chorley have been identified, although final decisions on which individuals can relocate to the proposed location for their work within reasonable daily travel have not been reached for all staff at this stage. HMRC is committed to avoiding redundancies wherever possible and will seek to identify alternative solutions for anyone who cannot move with their work.
	HMRC has no plans to change the employment conditions of staff who relocate as a result of Regional Review decisions for Chorley.

Tax Credits: Fraud

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the possible effect on child poverty if fraud and error were eradicated from working tax credit payments; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the effect on levels of child poverty of the eradication of fraud and error in child tax credits; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Tax credits play a key role in making work pay and reducing poverty, and have helped to lift 600,000 children out of relative poverty since 1998-99.
	The Government are keen to ensure that support goes to the right customers at the right time, and is committed to reducing error and fraud across tax credits. I refer the hon. Member to my written statement of 14 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 1-2WS.

JUSTICE

Courts: Children

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps the Government has taken to minimise any harmful effects on children arising from their participation in court proceedings.

Bridget Prentice: In the criminal courts a series of measures are in place aimed at minimising the distress of court proceedings on young defendants as follows:
	(i) A Practice Direction from the Lord Chief Justice provides among other things for familiarisation with the courtroom prior to the hearing, frequent breaks during the process, the ability of a very young defendant to sit with family members and the court to ensure an understanding by the young defendant of what is happening and what is being said throughout the process.
	(ii) There is also provision within the criminal law to protect the anonymity of the young defendant.
	(iii) There are also restrictions on public attendance at the youth court.
	Children can apply for special measures to assist them in giving their best evidence in court. This includes giving evidence outside the courtroom through a televised link or screens around the witness box to shield the witness from the defendant.
	Children involved in family proceedings do not normally attend court. Children who are subject to an application for care or supervision proceedings by social services (public law) are entitled to separate representation by a Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (CAFCASS) Children's Guardian and a solicitor, and are made a party to proceedings. Children's Guardians are there to help achieve the best possible outcomes for the child they represent. The Government have consulted on the representation of children in private law proceedings, when families disagree about who children should live or spend time with. However, research has shown that bringing a child into proceedings could be stressful and put too much responsibility on the child. Therefore, party status and separate representation will only be ordered in private law cases which involve an issue of significant difficulty and consequently will occur only in a minority of cases.

Crime: Victims

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent steps the Government has taken to work with the third sector when supporting victims of crime.

Maria Eagle: Following a recent public consultation, the Ministry of Justice has published a Third Sector Strategy which sets out the Department's commitment to working with the Third Sector.
	Victim Support, an independent charity, is the Government's main provider of services to victims and witnesses of crime across England and Wales. Over recent years annual Government funding to Victim Support has increased from 11.7 million to 30 million. The Office for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR) has provided additional investment in Victim Support to rollout Victim Support Plus nationally (5.6 million in 2007-08 and 7 million in 2008-09).
	In addition, the Government funds a number of specialist services for victims of individual crime types. The charity Support After Murder and Manslaughter (SAMM) receives a grant of 140,000 a year to provide services to family and friends bereaved through murder and manslaughter.
	Over the last four years, we have invested 6.5 million in specialist services for victims through the Victims Fund, with the majority going directly to Third Sector organisations. In 2008-09 a further 1.75 million has been invested into the fund. Specialist services that receive funding through the Victims Fund provide support to victims of sexual violence and childhood sexual abuse, hate crime and homicide.
	Since 2003 the Government has worked in partnership with Eaves Housing for Women to deliver bespoke specialist services for women trafficked into sexual exploitation, through the Poppy project. We are investing a further 1.3 million into the project this year, taking the total to 5.8 million since it opened.
	In 2007-08 the Government provided 3 million for Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVAs), trained specialists who provide a service to victims who are at high risk of harm, to support victims as their cases progress through Specialist Domestic Violence Courts (SDVCs).
	The Youth Crime Action Plan, published on 15 July 2008 will include proposals to support young victims of crime.

Family Courts

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he has taken to improve the procedures of family courts.

Bridget Prentice: The new Family Procedure Rules will make court procedures easier to use and understand. They will provide a modernised and simply expressed code of practice for all levels of court. A significant first segment, the Family Procedure (Adoption) Rules, was made in October 2005. The Department and the Family Procedure Rule Committee are now completing the task for all family proceedings.
	Court procedures have also been recently improved in domestic violence and care proceedings cases. On 1 April 2008, the judicially led Public Law Outline came into force, streamlining the care proceedings process and contributing to a reduction in unnecessary delay. In May 2008 a new practice direction changed current procedures in private law proceedings to give better protection for children in cases where domestic violence has been raised as an issue.

Family Courts: Accountability

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent steps the Government has taken to improve accountability in family courts.

Bridget Prentice: We have consulted twice on how we could improve transparency in family courts. It is important that the courts are more open and accountable and it is important that children's interests are protected. The right of the public to know what is happening needs to be balanced with a child's rights to privacy.
	It is also important to help the public understand what happens in family courts and how the courts make these difficult decisions. That is why we have already announced that we will be piloting the publication of judgments for some family cases.
	This is an important and complex area of policy about which people have strong views. We must ensure we get it right. We will be making an announcement to the House about the pilots, and our other proposals, after the summer.

Firearms: Sentencing

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to his answer of 8 July 2008, for what reasons individuals found in unlawful possession of a firearm were not given the mandatory sentence of five years, broken down by category of mitigating factors.

David Hanson: Sentences are decided by sentencers. Data on mitigating factors at the time of sentencing are not collected on the courts proceedings database held by my Department.
	EWCA Crim 2056 (18 July 2005) considers the issue of exceptional circumstances.

Legal Services Commission: Complaints

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the merits of  (a) audit and  (b) scrutiny of the recording of (i) complaints to the Legal Services Commission and (ii) responses to correspondence by (A) the Legal Services Commission and (B) his Department.

Bridget Prentice: It is well established practice throughout the public sector to ensure that there are robust systems in place to deal with correspondence and complaints handling. Proportionate auditing and scrutiny are a normal part of those systems. I also refer the hon. Member to my answer to him of 22 May 2008,  Official Report, column. 411-12W.

Legal Services Commission: Complaints

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many complaints under the Legal Services Commission's complaints procedures were recorded by the Legal Services Commission in each year since 2004-05.

Bridget Prentice: The number of complaints received in the Legal Services Commission is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004-05 2,541 
			 2005-06 2,007 
			 2006-07 1,701 
		
	
	The figures for 2007-08 will be published shortly in the 2007-08 annual report.

Legal Services Commission: Complaints

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what procedures are used to process complaints on action by the Legal Services Commission in breach of its complaints procedures guarantee.

Bridget Prentice: I refer the hon. Member to the answers to him on 4 June 2008,  Official Report columns 1040-41W and 22 May 2008,  Official  R eport columns 411-12W. If a complainant does not feel that their complaint has been dealt with in accordance with the LSC's complaints procedure, the parliamentary ombudsman can investigate. All complaints referred to the ombudsman must be done so through a Member of Parliament.

Legal Services Commission: Standards

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how the Legal Services Commission's national customer service score is calculated.

Bridget Prentice: The Legal Services Commission introduced a customer service single score from 2003-04 in its regional offices and throughout the organisation from 2004-05 to reinforce its commitment to improve all levels of customer service. The measures used in the score are tailored to each department and include: the time taken to perform key tasks; telephone handling skills; quality control; complaints handling and the ability to respond swiftly. In 2007-08, the LSC achieved 93 per cent. in its customer service score against a target of 90 per cent.

Magistrates: Personation

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions since 2003 he has been informed of instances where individuals have claimed falsely to be a justice of the peace; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: Such instances are very rare and my Department does not keep a record. My hon. Friend is obviously aware of the matter regarding Ray Lewis, former Deputy Mayor for London for young people. He has not been appointed as a magistrate.

Members: E-mail

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State plans to reply to the email from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 18 June 2008, Ref: 204969, on the transcript of an appeal proceedings.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice aims to reply to correspondence from hon. Members of both Houses within 20 working days of receipt. I replied on 15 July 2008.

Members: Mentally Ill

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will make it his policy to bring forward proposals to remove the current provisions in common law which prevent a person with mental illness from standing or remaining as an hon. Member; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: Under the Electoral Administration Act 2006 we have already abolished the common law provisions which related to mental state for voters.
	We will consider with our stakeholders whether a similar change should be made to remove the current provisions in common law which may be used to prevent a person who has experienced mental health problems from standing or remaining as an hon. Member.

Offensive Weapons: Young Offenders

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 9 July 2008,  Official Report, column 1620W, on offensive weapons: young people, what sentence was imposed in each case in each year; and, where fines were imposed, what the  (a) smallest,  (b) largest and  (c) average fine imposed was in each year.

Jack Straw: Statistics on the number of persons sentenced for the offence of selling knives to persons under 18 by result are contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of persons sentenced( 1)  by result for the offence of selling a knife to a person under 18 years, all courts, England and Wales, 2002-06 
			  Number of persons 
			  Offence description  Year  Total  proceeded against( 2)  Absolute/ conditional discharge  Fine  Community sentence  Fully suspended sentence  Immediate custody  Otherwise dealt with 
			 Selling to a person under the age of 18 years a knife, knife blade, razor blade, axe or any other article which has a blade, that is sharply pointed and which is made or adapted for use for causing injury to the person 2002 4  3 
			  2003 9 2 61 
			  2004 6 2 21 
			  2005 19 1 18 
			  2006 43 5 27 1   2 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Will include cases that were withdrawn or dismissed.  Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source: OMS Analytical Services 
		
	
	Statistics on the numbers fined by amount of fine is contained in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of persons given fines by amount for the offence of selling a knife to a person under 18 years, all courts, England and Wales, 2002-06 
			  Number of persons 
			  Offence description  Year  Over 50  and  up to 100  Over 100  and  up to 150  Over 150  and up to 200  Over 200  and up to 250  Over 250  and  up to 300  Over 300  and  up to 500  Over 500  and  up to 750  Over 750  and  up to 1000  Over 1000 
			 Selling to a person under the age of 18 years a knife, knife blade, razor blade, axe or any other article which has a blade, that is sharply pointed and which is made or adapted for use for causing injury to the person 2002 1   1 1 
			  2003 2 2  1 1 
			  2004   1   1
			  2005 2 1  1 2 6 3 1 2 
			  2006 6 2 6  4 5 1 2 1 
			  Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source: OMS Analytical Services

Prisoners: Mental Health Services

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what arrangements there are to provide therapeutic services for prisoners with mental health problems whose first language is not English.

Maria Eagle: Psychological therapies are commissioned by primary care trusts (PCTs). When commissioning these services for prisoners, PCTs will assess the needs of their population and, as with all other health provision, consideration will be given as to how services will be delivered to meet the needs of all, including those with mental health problems whose first language is not English. This will be determined locally as part of a PCT's commissioning responsibility.

Prisoners: Mental Health Services

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what arrangements there are to provide Welsh-medium therapeutic services for prisoners with mental health problems.

Maria Eagle: Provision of health care in Wales is a Welsh Assembly Government devolved responsibility. Services will be provided for Welsh medium offenders in accordance with the Welsh language policies of the local health boards.

Young Offenders: Custodial Treatment

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to provide a greater range of non-custodial sentencing options in cases where young offenders are convicted for non-violent offences.

David Hanson: We have developed a range of community sentences that can be used by the courts for young people. In addition we have provided out of court disposals which are particularly suitable for dealing with low level offences without the need for recourse to the courts.
	We have passed legislation recently in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 which will establish a new non-custodial sentencing structure for young offenders aged under 18.
	The primary community sentence for young offenders aged under 18 is the referral order under which the young offender must appear before a youth offender panel, including two lay members from the community and a member from the youth offending team. The young offender must agree to undertake reparation and rehabilitation in a contract agreed with the panel. The Act will extend the circumstances in which a referral order can be made and allow a second one to be made in exceptional circumstances. In the Act we also introduced a new generic community sentence for young people, the Youth Rehabilitation Order (YRO), which will replace nine existing community sentences. The YRO has 14 different requirements that may be added to an order and is designed to increase the options available to sentencers to deal with young offenders in the community with effective and tailored interventions. The YRO also provides two further requirements for serious and persistent young offenders that are set as alternatives to custody.

Young Offenders: Foster Care

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the intensive fostering pilots in reducing the number of young offenders sentenced to custody; and if he will extend the use of intensive fostering nationwide.

David Hanson: The Youth Justice Board are currently piloting intensive fostering in three areas. We are working closely with them to monitor the progress of these pilots and they are being evaluated by York University. The evaluation report is due later this year.
	It is too early to give a full assessment of its effectiveness as an alternative to custody. However, indicative results show that the programme is benefiting the young people subject to it.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support Agency: Correspondence

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy that Child Support Agency staff respond personally to correspondence marked for their attention.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 8 July 2008
	 The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy that Child Support Agency staff respond personally to correspondence marked for their attention.
	As part of the Operational Improvement Plan, the Agency introduced a new standard operating model to improve client service and get more money for more children. The Agency receives around five million phone calls each year, almost three hundred thousand new applications for maintenance and over two million change of circumstances requests as well as general correspondence. In addition people employed by the Agency may be on holiday, training, or ill when a particular task arises and you will appreciate the Agency needs to be able to allocate work to balance workloads and provide the best possible service. The Agency provides a full service to clients from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and from 9am to 5pm on Saturday. It is not possible for an individual caseworker to be available to a client over this period, therefore the majority of clients will not deal with the same caseworker but with the same team, any member of which will be able to resolve their query and reply to correspondence.
	This change to team working ensures that the Agency has people available to deal with clients when they need us most. However, the Agency has also revised its complaints resolution process and has introduced teams of specialist caseworkers responsible for resolving all aspects of a client's complaint. In these cases an individual caseworker will take responsibility for working with the client until the complaint is resolved.
	Since the introduction of these changes as part of the Operational Improvement Plan two years ago, the number of children benefiting from maintenance has risen by around 126,000 to over 749,000 children. The Agency also collected or arranged a record breaking 1 billion in maintenance in the twelve months to March 2008.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Crisis Loans: Telephone Services

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average waiting time was between making a phone call and speaking to a member of staff for all calls made to his Department crisis loan numbers in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves, dated 16 July 2008:
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to respond to your question on what the average waiting time was between making a phone call and speaking to a member of staff for all calls made to crisis loan numbers in each of the last five years. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to Lesley Strathie as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. I am replying in her absence as Acting Chief Executive.
	Access to Crisis Loans by telephone did not commence until September 2006. The management information in place currently at Benefit Delivery Centres does not capture telephone waiting times.
	A proportion of Crisis Loan calls are answered in our Contact Centres. The average time taken to speak to a member of staff since Contact Centre Direct started taking Crisis Loan calls in May 2007 has been 1 minute 56 seconds.

Departmental Early Retirement

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in  (a) his Department and  (b) his Department's agencies have taken early retirement in the last two years.

Anne McGuire: The number of staff from the Department for Work and Pensions and its agencies who have taken early retirement during the last two complete financial years is summarised in the following table:
	
		
			  Business area  2006-07( 1)  2007-08( 1) 
			 Jobcentre Plus 656 510 
			 The Pension Service 52 387 
			 Disability and Carers Service 10 47 
			 Pension Disability and Carers Service(2) 62 434 
			 Child Support Agency 16 84 
			 The Rent Service 6 42 
			 The rest of DWP 39 117 
			 Total DWP 779 1,187 
			 (1) The figures cover the period 1 April to 31 March. (2) The Pension Service and Disability and Carers Service came together on 1 April 2008 to form a new agency called the Pension Disability and Carers Service. Figures for both elements of the new agency are included for completeness.

Departmental Information Officers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average cost to his Department of employing a press and media officer was in 2007-08.

Anne McGuire: The calculated cost to the Department for employing a full-time press officer working on media issues equates to an average annual salary of 31,920.

Departmental Manpower

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the change in the number of employees in his Department and its agencies has been since July 2006.

Anne McGuire: The change in the number of employees in the Department and its agencies since July 2006 is summarised in the following tables.
	
		
			  Table 1: Numbers of individual employees 
			  Business area  July 2006  May 2008  Reduction 
			 Jobcentre Plus 79,089 73,504 5,585 
			 The Pension Service 14,891 11,907 2,984 
			 Disability and Carers Service 7,304 6,218 1,086 
			 Pension Disability and Carers Service(1) 22,195 18,125 4,070 
			 Child Support Agency 12,829 10,751 2,078 
			 The Rent Service 670 575 95 
			 The rest of DWP 11,532 10,293 1,239 
			 DWP total 126,315 113,248 13,067 
			 (1) The Pension Service and Disability and Carers Service came together on 1 April 2008 to form a new agency called the Pension and Disability Carers Service. Figures for both elements of the new agency are included for completeness. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Numbers on a full-time equivalent basis 
			  Business area  July 2006  May 2008  Reduction 
			 Jobcentre Plus 71,048 65,607 5,441 
			 The Pension Service 13,667 10,884 2,783 
			 Disability and Carers Service 6,527 5,489 1,038 
			 Pension Disability and Carers Service(1) 20,194 16,373 3,821 
			 Child Support Agency 11,405 9,531 1,874 
			 The Rent Service 650 563 87 
			 The rest of DWP 10,794 9,613 1,181 
			 DWP total(2) 114,092 101,688 12,404 
			 (1) The Pension Service and Disability and Carers Service came together on 1 April 2008 to form a new agency called the Pension Disability and Carers Service. Figures for both elements of the new agency are included for completeness. (2) Totals may not sum due to rounding of individual lines.

Departmental Official Cars

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which make and model of car he has chosen as his Ministerial car to be provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency.

Anne McGuire: The Prime Minister sets the criteria for cars for use by Ministers. Currently, Cabinet Ministers may choose either a diesel powered Jaguar XJ or a Toyota Prius hybrid. Other Ministers may also choose from a Toyota Prius, a Honda Civic hybrid or any other suitable car with a CO2 emission of 185g/km or less.
	The Secretary of State has chosen the Toyota Prius hybrid as his ministerial car.

Departmental Security

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many departmental identity cards or departmental passes have been reported lost or stolen by staff in  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its executive agencies in the last 24 months.

Anne McGuire: The arrangements for the issue and management of identity passes that give access to the Department's premises have been outsourced to a service provider. The Department and its agencies operate from several hundred premises across the UK, and no central records are held by the service provider or the Department of the numbers of passes which are reported lost or stolen, and it would be disproportionately expensive to obtain this information. Employees are required to report all lost or stolen passes to the Department immediately, and to the police where appropriate, so that local management can determine any increased vulnerability to security, and take the necessary action.

Departmental Sick Leave

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many working days have been lost due to sickness among employees for which his Department and its predecessor were responsible for each year since 1997.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was created in July 2001. The figures prior to this date relate to absence levels in the Department of Social Security (DSS) Group, the main predecessor to the DWP.
	The available information is contained in the following table. The source of the information is the Cabinet Office's annual report titled 'Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service'. Working days lost (WDL) due to sickness are available only for 2005, 2006 and 2007. We have therefore provided the average working days lost per staff year for each of the years from 1997 to 2007.
	
		
			   Total working days lost (WDL)  Average working days lost (AWDL) 
			 2007 1,094,018 10.3 
			 2006-07(1) 1,361,196 11.1 
			 2005 1,233,162 10.1 
			 2004  9.6 
			 2003  11.6 
			 2002  10.8 
			 2001  11.1 
			 2000  11.0(2) 
			 1999  10.9(2) 
			 1998  10.8(2) 
			 1997  12.2(2) 
			 (1) Financial year 2006-07 all other years figures are shown in calendar years. (2) DSS Group only.

Departmental Written Questions

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many days it took on average to answer written parliamentary questions tabled by each hon. Member for answer by him in the last six months.

Anne McGuire: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Disadvantaged: Rural Areas

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many recommendations in the Commission for Rural Communities report, England's rural areas: steps to release their economic potential, within his Department's areas of responsibility his Department intends to implement; and if he will provide a timetable for implementation.

Anne McGuire: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Jonathan Shaw), on 7 July 2008,  Official Report, column 1204W.

Early Retirement

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) men and  (b) women who were required to take early retirement in (i) Leeds West, (ii) Leeds Metropolitan District, (iii) Yorkshire and Humberside and (iv) England in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: I regret that the Department for Work and Pensions does not possess the data in a form which enables me to answer this question.

Fuel Poverty

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent tackling fuel poverty among heating oil users in each of the last 10 years; and how much it plans to spend in the next 12 months.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The following tables set out the number of heating jobs and associated spends for oil heating jobs in each scheme year carried out through the Warm Front scheme since this measure was incorporated into the scheme in June 2005.
	It should be borne in mind that around 15 per cent. of allocated oil jobs do not progress to completion through unfulfilled client contribution requests.
	
		
			  Measure category  Households  Total cost ()  Average () 
			  Scheme year 2005-06
			 Boiler replacement oil 57 192,926.80 3,384.68 
			 Oil central heating 98 363,772.56 3,711.96 
			 Heating repair oil 9 5,489.55 609.95 
			 Total 164 562,188.91 3,427.98 
			 
			  Scheme year 2006-07
			 Boiler replacement oil 802 2,795,894.92 3,486.15 
			 Oil central heating 705 2,735,750.73 3,880.50 
			 Heating repair oil 56 54,436.45 972.08 
			 Total 1,563 5,586,082.10 3,573.95 
			 
			  Scheme year 2007-08
			 Boiler replacement oil 1,206 4,400,894.12 3,649.17 
			 Oil central heating 614 2,318,599.12 3,776.22 
			 Heating repair oil 120 256,242.47 2,135.35 
			 Total 1,940 6,975,735.71 3,595.74 
			 Overall total 3,667 13,124,006.72 3,578.95 
			 
			  Scheme year 2008-09 (expected)
			 All jobs 2,400 9,158,400 3,816

Fuel Poverty

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on fuel poverty amongst heating oil users.

Mike O'Brien: The Department for Work and Pensions works closely with a number of Government Departments, including the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, on a broad range of measures aimed at tackling fuel poverty. Regular meetings are held at both official and ministerial level.

Fuel Poverty: Part-time Employment

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assistance his Department is giving to people in part-time work to meet their fuel bill payments; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: A person in part-time work may be eligible to receive winter fuel payments if they satisfy the qualifying conditions. Payments are made to most persons aged 60 or over and ordinarily resident in Great Britain to help with their fuel bills during the winter months. Payments are worth up to 200 for persons aged 60-79 and up to 300 for persons aged 80 or over. In winter 2008-09, we will make an additional payment alongside the winter fuel payment. Persons aged 60-79 will receive up to 50 and persons aged 80 or over up to 100.
	Additionally, a person in part-time work may be eligible to receive cold weather payments if they satisfy the qualifying conditions when the temperature criteria are met for their postcode.

Housing: Low Incomes

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of how much and what proportion of private rented accommodation in  (a) Southend-on-Sea local authority area,  (b) Essex county council area and  (c) Southend West constituency is available at or below the median rent established by the Rent Service for the relevant rental market area; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The requested information is not available.
	The Rent Service publishes information about broad rental market areas and local housing allowance rates online at
	www.therentservice.gov.uk/.

Housing: Low Incomes

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will make it his policy to publish information on the level of benefit reductions experienced by those local housing allowance claimants resident in  (a) Southend-on-Sea and  (b) Essex who move address; who he consulted before introducing this policy; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of persons residing in  (a) Southend and  (b) Essex who will receive (i) an increase, (ii) a decrease and (iii) no change in benefit paid following the introduction of local housing allowance; what steps he has (A) taken and (B) plans to take to assist those who receive a decrease; what recent representations he has received on this issue; what reply he gave in each case; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: From 7 April 2008, the local housing allowance is being rolled out to customers making new claims for benefit and customers who change address. The local housing allowance provides a clear and transparent set of allowance rates that helps tenants know how much financial help is available. A claimant can obtain details of the relevant rate of local housing allowance in advance, allowing them to make informed choice about the affordability of specific accommodation.
	A claimant who is receiving the local housing allowance and who moves address within their existing broad rental market area, and who has no other changes to their family composition, will normally see no change in the amount of local housing allowance that they receive.
	Information on all local housing allowance rates and details of broad rental market areas are available from The Rent Service website at
	www.therentservice.gov.uk/.
	The Department carried out a full public consultation before introducing the local housing allowance. We have received a wide range of representations about all aspects of local housing allowance. Details of individual representations, and our response to them, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	We will be carrying out a two year review of local housing allowance.

Incapacity Benefit

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much he estimates will be spent on each type of incapacity benefit in each of the next five years.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 6 June 2008
	Latest estimates of expenditure on incapacity and incapacity-related benefits are presented in the following table. The figures assume the introduction of employment and support allowance in October 2008 and announced policies at the time the forecasts were producedthey do not include future proposals yet to be agreed. The figures cover the period of the Government's spending plans 2010-11.
	
		
			  Incapacity related benefits: estimated benefit expenditure,  millions nominal terms 
			   2007-08  estimated outturn  2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			 Incapacity benefit 6,580 6,210 5,570 4,920 
			  Of which: 
			 Short-term lower rate 280 170 0 0 
			 Short-term higher rate 340 270 20 0 
			 Long-term rate 5,710 5,570 5,370 4,760 
			 Earnings related 240 210 180 160 
			  
			  Other incapacity-related benefits 
			 Severe disablement allowance 750 730 710 680 
			 Income support for sick and disabled 5,230 4,920 4,240 3,670 
			 Return to work credit 0 70 120 120 
			 Statutory sick pay 50 50 50 50 
			  Notes: 1. Figures presented are also available on the DWP website through the following link: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp 2. Incapacity benefit is payable at short-term lower, short-term higher, long-term rates plus an earnings related rate for ex-invalidity benefit claimants.  3. Incapacity benefit is replaced for new claimants by employment and support allowance in October 2008.  4. Severe disablement allowance closed in April 2001 to new claimants.  5. Income support for the sick and disabled covers incapacity-related income support payments to those who experience short-term sickness, for a period up to one year, and for those who qualify as long-term sick or disabled.  6. Return to work credit is financial support to those experiencing incapacity, (subject to qualifying benefits), for the first year in which the individual returns to work.  7. Figures for statutory sick pay relate to estimated employer recoveries from the Government, based on information held by HM Revenue and Customs.  8. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 million. Components may not sum to totals due to rounding.  9. All figures relate to individuals of working age.

Incapacity Benefit: Armed Forces

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was paid in incapacity benefit to  (a) current and  (b) former armed services personnel in 2007-08.

Anne McGuire: The information is not available.

Income Support: Lone Parents

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of lone parents that will be affected by the changes to the eligibility criteria for income support taking effect in October 2008 have a child for whom they are receiving disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of lone parents who will be affected by the changes to the eligibility criteria for income support taking effect in October 2008 are in  (a) part-time employment,  (b) unemployed and  (c) in education or training; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The information requested is not available.
	Information is available on the number of lone parents receiving income support at August 2007 who at that date had a youngest child aged 12 or over and who had a child for whom they were receiving disability living allowance.
	Information is available on the number of lone parents receiving income support at November 2007 who at that date had a youngest child aged 12 or over and who were either receiving earnings from part time employment or no part time earnings from employment.
	That information is in the tables.
	No information is available on the numbers of lone parents with a youngest child aged 12 or over who were in education or training.
	Some lone parents are exempt from these changes and will still be able to receive IS. These include lone parents who:
	Are in receipt of carer's allowance
	Have a child who they are receiving the middle or higher rate care component of disability living allowance for;
	Are fostering
	
		
			  L one parents receiving income support at August 2007 who had a youngest child aged 12 or over at that date and who had a child for whom they were receiving disability living allowance 
			  Number 
			 All 113,100 
			 Not in receipt of DLA for a child 103,600 
			 In receipt of DLA for a child 9,500 
			 Proportion in receipt of DLA for a child (Percentage) 8.4 
			  Note: 1. 5 per cent. sample figures are uprated to 100 per cent. WPLS totals and rounded to the nearest 100. Totals may not sum due to rounding.  Source: DWP Information Directorate 5 per cent. sample 
		
	
	
		
			  L one parents receiving income support at November 2007 who had a youngest child aged 12 or over at that date and who were receiving earnings from part-time employment 
			   Number 
			 All 102,340 
			 No part-time earnings 94,430 
			 Part-time earnings 7,910 
			 Proportion with part-time earnings (Percentage) 7.7 
			  Note: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not sum due to rounding.  Source: DWP Information Directorate 100 per cent. WPLS

Income Support: Lone Parents

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of Jobcentre Plus staff  (a) have received specific training and  (b) will receive specific training before October 2008 on the changes to eligibility criteria for income support affecting lone parents coming into effect in that month; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 16 July 2008:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many and what proportion of Jobcentre Plus staff have received specific training to date, and will receive specific training before October 2008, on the changes to eligibility criteria for Income Support affecting lone parents coming into effect in that month. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The introduction of the changes to eligibility criteria for receipt of Income Support, affecting lone parents, is to be phased over a three year period, commencing in November 2008. The changes will affect all jobs in Jobcentre Plus in different ways, and the proposed training and awareness approach will meet the specific needs of all job roles.
	Our current planning assumption is that all Jobcentre Plus staff will require awareness products in the lead up to November 2008. Since February, five such products relating to this change have been issued to all Jobcentre Plus adviser managers. We also estimate that approximately 8,950 customer-facing staff will need additional training during the implementation period, to equip them with the skills to support lone parents as they make their transition to Jobseeker's Allowance.
	Further detailed work is currently being undertaken to convert these assumptions into more detailed plans. This approach will ensure adequate numbers of customer-facing staff are trained and available to deal with the increase in volumes of lone parents moving from Income Support to Jobseeker's Allowance at each stage of the implementation process.

Local Housing Allowance: Essex

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of people in  (a) Southend and  (b) Essex in the deregulated private rented sector who will be in receipt of local housing allowance in (i) 2008 and (ii) 2009;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of people in  (a) Southend and  (b) Essex who will be in receipt of the local housing allowance where the rent is paid directly to the claimant in (i) 2008 and (ii) 2009.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Personal Injury

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the highest 10 payments made by his Department in settlement of personal injury claims brought against it were over the last 12 months for which figures are available; which of those cases were  (a) contested and  (b) uncontested by the Department; and what the nature of the incident was in each case.

Anne McGuire: The information is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Nature of incident  Contested/  Uncontested  Date Concluded  Damages  ( 
			 Asbestos Related Disease Settled Costs being negotiated 167,097.50 
			 Physical and psychological injuries Settled 9 July 2007 150,000.00 
			 Repetitive strain injury Settled 25 February 2008 92,368.45 
			 Asbestos Related Disease Settled 17 September 2007 50,000.00 
			 Back injury Settled 15 January 2008 36,500.00 
			 Slip and trip injury (leg/back) Settled 27 November 2007 17,000.00 
			 Slip and trip injury (back) Settled 1 April 2008 15,000.00 
			 Exacerbation of existing back condition by failure to provide adequate equipment Settled 2 January 2008 15,000.00 
			 Neck/shoulder injury (struck by falling object) Settled 28 May 2008 8,500.00 
			 Slip and trip injury (back, hip, leg and ribs) Settled 17 July 2007 8,500.00

Poverty

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of  (a) children,  (b) pensioners and  (c) working-age adults were in poverty in each English region in (i) 1990, (ii) 2000 and (iii) 2007.

Stephen Timms: Specific information regarding low income for the UK is available in Households Below Average Income 1994/95 to 2006/07. This annual report, which is a National Statistics publication, includes the number and proportion of individuals, children, working-age adults and pensioners with incomes below 50 per cent., 60 per cent. and 70 per cent. of median income, and the proportions in persistent poverty.
	Regional data are presented as three-year averages, due to variability in single-year estimates. Regional data are only available on a consistent basis from 1994-95. A time series showing the proportion of children and pensioners in households with household incomes less than 60 per cent. of median including the periods requested are shown in table 4.14ts for children and table 6.8ts for pensioners of the Households Below Average Income 1994/95 to 2006/07, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
	Information for working age adults for years where data are available is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Proportion of working age adults in poverty in each English region in 1997-98 to 1999-2000 and 2004-05 to 2006-07, three-year average 
			Percentage of working age adults below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income 
			  Region  Period  Before housing costs  After housing costs 
			 North East 1997-98 to 1999-2000 21 26 
			  2004-05 to 2006-07 18 22 
			 
			 North West 1997-98 to 1999-2000 17 22 
			  2004-05 to 2006-07 17 21 
			 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 1997-98 to 1999-2000 18 22 
			  2004-05 to 2006-07 16 20 
			 
			 East Midlands 1997-98 to 1999-2000 15 18 
			  2004-05 to 2006-07 16 20 
			 
			 West Midlands 1997-98 to 1999-2000 14 18 
			  2004-05 to 2006-07 18 22 
			 
			 East of England 1997-98 to 1999-2000 11 15 
			  2004-05 to 2006-07 12 17 
			 
			 London 1997-98 to 1999-2000 15 24 
			  2004-05 to 2006-07 15 24 
			 
			 South East 1997-98 to 1999-2000 10 15 
			  2004-05 to 2006-07 11 16 
			 
			 South West 1997-98 to 1999-2000 14 19 
			  2004-05 to 2006-07 12 18 
			  Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income data. 2. Small changes should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. The reference period for Households Below Average Income figures is single financial years. Three sample years have been combined as regional single year estimates are subject to volatility. 4. Regional data is only available on a consistent basis from 1994-95, so no results are available for 1990. 5. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication Households Below Average Income series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 6. The figures are based on OECD equivalisation factors. 7. Figures have been presented on both a before housing cost and after housing cost basis. For before housing cost, housing costs (such as rent, water rates, mortgage interest payments, structural insurance payments and ground rent and service charges) are not deducted from income, while for after housing cost they are. 8. Proportions of working age adults in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest percentage point.  Source: Households Below Average Income, DWP.

Social Security Benefits: Newcastle upon Tyne

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children were living in households in receipt of benefits in each local authority ward in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne in 2008.

Stephen Timms: The information is not available for households in the format requested. The available information, which is for those claiming income support, jobseeker's allowance, incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance or pension credit, is in the table.
	
		
			  Number of children aged 0-15 dependent on a parent or guardian claiming one or more of income support, jobseeker's allowance, incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance or pension credit, city of Newcastle upon Tyne wards, April 2007 
			   Number 
			 Benwell 630 
			 Blakelaw 770 
			 Byker 815 
			 Castle 205 
			 Dene 290 
			 Denton 530 
			 Elswick 860 
			 Fawdon 715 
			 Fenham 645 
			 Grange 220 
			 Heaton 170 
			 Jesmond 35 
			 Kenton 720 
			 Lemington 495 
			 Monkchester 1,070 
			 Moorside 590 
			 Newburn 395 
			 Sandyford 270 
			 Scotswood 465 
			 South Gosforth 40 
			 Walker 930 
			 Walkergate 470 
			 West City 610 
			 Westerhope 205 
			 Wingrove 480 
			 Woolsington 725 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5. 2. Data represents a snapshot in time of claimants on the computer system, and therefore excludes a very small number of cases that are held clerically. 3. The Department does not have complete information on child dependents on the benefit computer systems, therefore children have been merged on to income support, jobseeker's allowance, incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and pension credit claims from child benefit records with permission from HMRC.  Source: DWP Information Directorate.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Capacity Building Programme

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department has provided to each local authority under the Capacity Building programme to date.

John Healey: Since April 2004, over 270 local authorities have received Capacity Building support from Communities and Local Government. The following tables show:
	(a) the amount of direct support provided to each local authority, and
	(b) resources made available to lead councils between April 2004 to March 2009 to support improvement partnerships and regional centres of excellence.
	
		
			  Table A: Capacity Building Grant 
			  Local authorities  Amount () 
			 Adur District Council 20,000 
			 Allerdale Borough Council 10,000 
			 Aran District Council 5,000 
			 Ashfield District Council 5,000 
			 Aylesbury Vale District Council 900 
			 Barking and Dagenham Council 475 
			 Barrow-in-Furness Borough Council 1,250 
			 Basildon District Council 4,000 
			 Basingstoke and Deane Council 21,600 
			 Bassetlaw District Council 5,000 
			 Bath and North East Somerset Council 114,500 
			 Bedfordshire County Council 685,732 
			 Berwick upon Tweed Borough Council 123,250 
			 Birmingham City Council 426,200 
			 Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 69,000 
			 Blackpool Borough Council 84,000 
			 Blyth Valley Council 45,000 
			 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council 23,000 
			 Boston Borough Council 6,000 
			 Bournemouth Council 2,280 
			 Bracknell Forest Borough Council 301,000 
			 Bridgnorth District Council 1,500 
			 Brighton and Hove City Council 9,000 
			 Bristol City Council 67,408 
			 Broadland District Council 143,000 
			 Bromsgrove Borough Council 25,250 
			 Buckinghamshire County Council 2,000 
			 Burnley Borough Council 254,491 
			 Bury Metropolitan Borough Council 140,000 
			 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council 25,000 
			 Cambridge City Council 900 
			 Canterbury City Council 1,325,000 
			 Caradon Council 10,355 
			 Carrick District Council 607,000 
			 Castle Morpeth Borough Council 201,225 
			 Castle Point Borough Council 282,650 
			 Cheltenham Borough Council 300 
			 Cheshire County Council 10,500 
			 Chesterfield 503,600 
			 Chester-le-Street District Council 582,550 
			 Chichester District Council 9,000 
			 Chiltern District Council 10,000 
			 City of Bradford Council 6,500 
			 City of Newcastle upon Tyne Council 6,500 
			 City of Stoke on Trent Council 16,500 
			 City of York Council 21,500 
			 Congleton Borough Council 135,661 
			 Corby Council 164,003 
			 Cornwall County Council 1,000 
			 Corporation of London 125,000 
			 Coventry City Council 251,400 
			 Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council 5,000 
			 Cumbria County Council 287,350 
			 Dacorum Borough Council 3,000 
			 Darlington Borough Council 4,000 
			 Daventry District Council 5,500 
			 Derby City Council 13,715 
			 Derbyshire County Council 10,000 
			 Derbyshire Dales Council 11,225 
			 Devon County Council 1,140,000 
			 Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council 221,000 
			 Dorset County Council 331,000 
			 Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council 1,000 
			 Durham City Council 4,500 
			 Durham County Council 317,500 
			 Easington Council 4,500 
			 East Devon District Council 1,000 
			 East Hampshire District Council 383,713 
			 East Lindsey District Council 88,767 
			 East Northamptonshire District Council 1,000 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire Council 6,000 
			 East Staffordshire Borough Council 10,500 
			 Eastbourne Borough Council 300,000 
			 Eastleigh Borough Council 8,000 
			 Eden District Council 10,000 
			 Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council 1,000 
			 Elmbridge Borough Council 1,000 
			 Erewash Borough Council 322,090 
			 Essex County Council 310,797 
			 Exeter City Council 80,000 
			 Forest Heath District Council 1,000 
			 Forest of Dean District Council 194,700 
			 Fylde Borough Council 112,450 
			 Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council 3,500 
			 Gloucestershire County Council 216,000 
			 Halton Borough Council 5,000 
			 Hampshire County Council 569,620 
			 Harborough District Council 3,000 
			 Harlow District Council 320,600 
			 Hart District Council 9,500 
			 Hartlepool Borough Council 14,500 
			 Hastings Borough Council 7,000 
			 Havant District Council 112,000 
			 Herefordshire County Council 21,000 
			 Hertfordshire County Council 16,425 
			 Hertsmere Borough Council 5,000 
			 High Peak Council 5,000 
			 Hinckley and Bosworth Council 682,450 
			 Huntingdonshire District Council 6,000 
			 Hyndburn Borough Council 5,000 
			 Ipswich Borough Council 5,000 
			 Isle of Wight County Council 5,000 
			 Isles of Scilly Council 60,000 
			 Kent County Council 14,000 
			 Kettering Borough Council 6,000 
			 Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council 16,835 
			 Kingston Upon Hull City Council 167,945 
			 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council 7,280 
			 Leeds City Council 405,000 
			 Lewes District Council 5,000 
			 Lichfield District Council 914,800 
			 Lincolnshire County Council 180,000 
			 London Borough of Camden 57,000 
			 London Borough of Croydon 5748 
			 London Borough of Ealing 127,400 
			 London Borough of Enfield 16,000 
			 London Borough of Greenwich 1,000 
			 London Borough of Hackney 223,550 
			 London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham 5,500 
			 London Borough of Haringey 350,230 
			 London Borough of Harrow 13,800 
			 London Borough of Havering 363,220 
			 London Borough of Hillingdon 328,450 
			 London Borough of Hounslow 1,000 
			 London Borough of Islington 370,713 
			 London Borough of Lambeth 491,249 
			 London Borough of Lewisham 1,000 
			 London Borough of Merton 395,100 
			 London Borough of Newham 21,000 
			 London Borough of Redbridge 1,000 
			 London Borough of Richmond upon Thames 500 
			 London Borough of Southwark 184,875 
			 London Borough of Sutton 120,000 
			 London Borough of Tower Hamlets 32,000 
			 London Borough of Waltham Forest 583,950 
			 London Borough of Wandsworth 17,000 
			 Luton Borough Council 10,000 
			 Maldon District Council 20,000 
			 Malvern Hills Council 135,000 
			 Manchester City Council 9,000 
			 Mansfield District Council 326,100 
			 Mendip District Council 224,700 
			 Mid Bedfordshire District Council 10,000 
			 Mid Devon District Council 81,750 
			 Mid Suffolk District Council 5,000 
			 Mid Sussex District Council 63,000 
			 Middlesbrough Council 5,500 
			 Milton Keynes Council 252,075 
			 Mole Valley District Council 5,000 
			 New Forest District Council 2,000 
			 Norfolk County Council 10,000 
			 Northumberland County Council 610,500 
			 North Devon District Council 31,200 
			 North Dorset District Council 149,700 
			 North East Derbyshire District Council 116,500 
			 North East Lincolnshire Council 424,500 
			 North Hertfordshire District Council 15,000 
			 North Kesteven Council 180,000 
			 North Lincolnshire Council 16,500 
			 North Norfolk District Council 10,000 
			 North Shropshire District Council 141,200 
			 North Somerset Council 6,000 
			 North Tyneside District Council 227,032 
			 North Warwickshire Borough Council 5,000 
			 North West Leicestershire District Council 273,000 
			 North Wiltshire District Council 4,000 
			 Northampton Borough Council 326,600 
			 Northamptonshire County Council 792,600 
			 Nottingham City Council 51,800 
			 Nottinghamshire County Council 11,000 
			 Nuneaton and Bedworth Council 204,500 
			 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council 108,130 
			 Oswestry Borough Council 4,000 
			 Oxford City Council 194,500 
			 Oxfordshire County Council 11,500 
			 Penwith District Council 5,000 
			 Peterborough City Council 5,000 
			 Plymouth City Council 400,773 
			 Poole Borough Council 15,000 
			 Portsmouth City Council 35,450 
			 Preston Borough Council 5,000 
			 Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council 7,000 
			 Restormel Borough Council 3,060 
			 Ribble Valley Borough Council 11,000 
			 Richmondshire District Council 4,500 
			 Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council 5,000 
			 Rochford District Council 158,250 
			 Rossendale Borough Council 147,076 
			 Rother District Council 4,000 
			 Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council 415,200 
			 Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead 500 
			 Rushcliffe Borough Council 9,850 
			 Rushmoor Borough Council 10,000 
			 Rutland District Council 1,050 
			 Ryedale District Council 1,000 
			 Salford City Council 242,280 
			 Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council 378,650 
			 Sedgemoor District Council 2,700 
			 Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council 4,000 
			 Selby District Council 226,100 
			 Shepway District Council 175,000 
			 Shropshire County Council 171,800 
			 Slough Borough Council 29,000 
			 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council 1,000 
			 South Bedfordshire District Council 1,000 
			 South Cambridgeshire District Council 4,500 
			 South Hams District Council 6,000 
			 South Kesteven District Council 167,700 
			 South Lakeland District Council 96,300 
			 South Norfolk Council 4,500 
			 South Northamptonshire Council 100,300 
			 South Ribble Borough Council 9,850 
			 South Shropshire Council 24,700 
			 South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council 21,500 
			 Southampton City Council 4,000 
			 Southend on Sea Borough Council 15,000 
			 Spelthorne Borough Council 1,000 
			 St. Albans City Council 900 
			 St. Edmundsbury Borough Council 64,000 
			 St. Helens Metropolitan Borough Council 14,404 
			 Staffordshire County Council 6,000 
			 Staffordshire Moorlands District Council 4,500 
			 Stevenage Borough Council 4,500 
			 Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council 10,000 
			 Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council 16,715 
			 Stratford-on-Avon District Council 4,500 
			 Suffolk County Council 1,000 
			 Sunderland City Council 51,650 
			 Surrey County Council 11,000 
			 Surrey Heath Borough Council 9,000 
			 Swindon Borough Council 1,319,950 
			 Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council 414,000 
			 Tamworth Borough Council 5,000 
			 Tandridge District Council 545,900 
			 Taunton Deane Council 200,000 
			 Teesdale Council 22,275 
			 Teignbridge District Council  
			 Telford and Wrekin Council 205,000 
			 Tendring District Council 5,000 
			 Thanet Council 98,600 
			 Three Rivers District Council  
			 Thurrock Council 84,400 
			 Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council 5,000 
			 Torbay Council 611,700 
			 Torridge District Council 266,900 
			 Trafford MBC 178,950 
			 Tunbridge Wells Borough council 48,300 
			 Uttlesford District Council 1,525 
			 Wakefield Council 523,855 
			 Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council 558,650 
			 Warrington Borough Council 2,400 
			 Warwickshire County Council 151,500 
			 Watford Borough Council 406,778 
			 Waveney District Council 179,490 
			 Wellingborough Borough Council 13,325 
			 Welwyn Hatfield District Council 5,000 
			 West Berkshire Council 10,000 
			 West Lindsey District Council 5,000 
			 West Somerset District Council 308,350 
			 West Sussex County Council 9,000 
			 West Wiltshire District Council 324,000 
			 Weymouth and Portland Borough Council 10,950 
			 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council 25,000 
			 Wiltshire County Council 5,000 
			 Winchester City Council 50,000 
			 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council 5,000 
			 Wokingham District Council 15,000 
			 Wolverhampton City Council 39,200 
			 Worcestershire County Council 30,000 
			 Wycombe District Council 5,000 
			 Wyre Borough Council 130,950 
			 Total 33,611,620 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B 
			  Lead authorities for improvement partnerships  Area  Amount () 
			 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Yorkshire and Humber 12,053,139 
			 Dorset County Council South West 12,247,339 
			 Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council North East 6,112,889 
			 Kent County Council South East 11,986,889 
			 London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham London 14,994,147 
			 Norfolk County Council East England 15,323,369 
			 Nottinghamshire County Council East Midlands 10,375,502 
			 Westminster City Council Leadership Centre 6,546,000 
			 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council North West 16,559,039 
			 Worcestershire County Council West Midlands 13,988,488 
			 Total  120,186,801 
		
	
	
		
			
			 Grand total 153,798,421

Community Relations: Finance

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) administrative,  (b) staffing and  (c) other costs of the Preventing Violent Extremism programme have been since its inception.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 14 July 2008
	Although work on the Preventing Violent Extremism programme began in late 2006, the preventing extremism division in CLG did not become a separate financially accountable unit until April 2007. Therefore, between 1 April 2007 and June 2008, 466,352.48 has been spent on administration costs and 1,324,811.14 has been spent on staffing. In total, 20,372,055.43 has been spent on programme costs. This includes national project delivery and research as well as grant funding to local authorities and other organisations to run projects to tackle violent extremism.

Council Tax: Floods

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the maximum period is that a house made inhabitable by flooding may be exempt from council tax.

John Healey: Properties which are vacant and undergoing major repair work to make them habitable may be exempt from council tax, for a maximum of 12 months, under Class A of the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992 (SI 1992/558).
	The Government have recently announced that they will provide financial support to those local authorities who exercise their right under Section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 to grant discounts to owners of properties on which the 12 month exemption period has lapsed but which are still uninhabitable due to the June and July 2007 floods.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff in her Department and its agencies have been  (a) dismissed and  (b) disciplined for their conduct in the last two years.

Parmjit Dhanda: During the last two years our records show that the Department for Communities and Local Government has  (a) dismissed one and  (b) disciplined two members of the Department.

Departmental Retirement

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many employees in her Department and its predecessor have been asked to retire on reaching 65 years of age in each year since 2000.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department has a flexible retirement age, which allows employees below the senior civil service, to work until 70 if they wish. Prior to its introduction, there is no record of staff being asked to leave once they reached 65.

Departmental Sick Leave

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many sick days were taken by employees in  (a) her Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility due to (i) stress and (ii) mental health and behavioural disorders in each of the last 10 years; what proportion of sick days taken this represented in each case; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many staff in  (a) her Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility have taken sick days due to (i) stress and (ii) mental health and behavioural disorders in each of the last 10 years; what proportion of staff of each body this represented in each year; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what the average duration of single periods of sick leave taken by staff in  (a) her Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility who gave (i) stress and (ii) mental health and behavioural disorders as the reason for their absence was in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  how many staff in  (a) her Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility have received sick pay for sick leave due to (i) stress and (ii) mental health and behavioural disorders in each of the last 10 years; what the average length of time was for which sick pay was paid in these cases; and if she will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: Information for 2004, 2005, 2006-07 for the Department for Communities and Local Government and its agencies can be found on the civil service website:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/sickness.asp
	All three illnesses are grouped together as 'Mental and Behavioural Disorders'.
	Data for 2007-08 are not yet available but will be published later in the year. For years prior to 2004 data are not held electronically and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Sick Leave

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average duration of single periods of sick leave taken by staff in  (a) her Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility was in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: Data for 2004, 2005, 2006-07 for the Department for Communities and Local Government and its agencies can be found on the civil service website:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/sickness.asp
	Information relating to the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Planning Inspectorate, Fire Service College and QEII Conference Centre for 2008-09 is not yet available but will be published later in the year. For years prior to 2004 data are not held electronically and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Sick Leave

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many staff in her Department have had five or more periods of sickness absence of less than five days in two or more of the last five years;
	(2)  how many and what percentage of staff in her Department have had more than two periods of sickness absence of less than five days in each of the last three years.

Parmjit Dhanda: Information on sickness absence for 2004, 2005, 2006-07 for the Department for Communities and Local Government can be found on the civil service website:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/sickness.asp.
	Data for 2007-08 are not yet available but will be published later in the year. For years prior to 2004 data are not held electronically and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Eco-towns: Curborough

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether Curborough remains on her Department's list of potential locations for eco-towns following the Curborough Consortium's decision to withdraw its application to build an eco-town.

Caroline Flint: I can confirm that the Curborough Consortium has withdrawn its eco-town proposal and the site is no longer on the long list of potential locations. We had to expect that some developers would and will decide to remove themselves from the long list, while others will not meet the high standards needed to make it through to our final shortlist.
	However, where eco-towns proposals are withdrawn, the local authorities will have to face up to the challenge of increasing housing supply and find another way to address the need for housing, and in particular affordable housing.

Eco-towns: Staffordshire

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what location for the proposed eco-town at Curborough, Staffordshire is indicated in the promotional materials published by her Department; what the location of the proposed site is; and what steps she plans to take to correct the promotional materials.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 12 June 2008
	As part of the first stage of consultation the proposed location for the eco-town at Curborough was set out in the consultation document Eco-townsLiving a greener future. Through promotional material we have said that more information is available on our website, and this includes links to the initial expressions of interest by the promoter for the shortlisted locations, including Curborough. These provide further details about the location. The proposal for an eco-town at Curborough has since been withdrawn by the promoter.

Essex Police Authority: Council Tax

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the police precept was on Band  (a) A,  (b) B,  (c) C,  (d) D,  (e) E and  (f) F bills for Essex Police Authority in each year since 2000.

John Healey: Details of the council tax precept for the Essex police authority in each year since 2000-01 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   
			   Band A  Band B  Band C  Band D  Band E  Band F  Band G  Band H 
			  Valuation band ranges  Under 40,000  40,001 to 52,000  52,001 to 68,000  68,001 to 88,000  88,001 to 120,000  120,001 to 160,000  160,001 to 320,000  Over 320,000 
			 Ratio to band D(1) 6/9 7/9 8/9 1 11/9 13/9 15/9 2 
			 2000-01 45 53 60 68 83 98 113 136 
			 2001-02 47 55 63 71 87 103 118 142 
			 2002-03 52 60 69 78 95 112 129 155 
			 2003-04 62 72 83 93 114 134 155 186 
			 2004-05 66 77 88 99 121 143 165 199 
			 2005-06 70 81 93 105 128 151 175 210 
			 2006-07 74 86 99 111 136 160 185 222 
			 2007-08 78 91 104 116 142 168 194 233 
			 2008-09 81 95 109 122 149 177 204 244 
			 (1) Within an authority, the council tax for each valuation band is a fixed ratio to that for band D. For example, a band A dwelling will pay 6/9 the band D amount, and a band H dwelling will pay twice the band D amount.

Ethnic Groups: Finance

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many black and minority ethnic organisations are receiving funding from local authorities in 2008-09; and what assessment she has made of recent trends in the number of black and minority ethnic organisations receiving such funding.

Parmjit Dhanda: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Fire Services

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the research produced for her Department by the Centre for Economics and Business Research on the strategic review of fire and rescue services.

Parmjit Dhanda: A summary of the research will be placed in the Library of the House.

Flood Control

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to require local authorities to produce local surface water management plans.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement made on 25 June 2008,  Official  Report, column 301, by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Hilary Benn).

Food

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how much was spent by her Department on  (a) food and  (b) food of British origin in each of the last five years;
	(2)  from which five countries of origin the greatest amount of food was procured by her Department in the last year for which figures are available; and what the  (a) cost and  (b) quantity procured was in each case.

Parmjit Dhanda: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Housing: Low Incomes

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many house sales have taken place under the HomeBuy scheme in each month since April 2006; and what the Government's targets for sales in each month were.

Caroline Flint: The following table shows the number of homes sold under the HomeBuy scheme in each month since April 2006:
	
		
			   Open Market HomeBuy  NewBuild HomeBuy/Shared Ownership  Social HomeBuy 
			 April 2006 38 0 0 
			 May 2006 1 0 0 
			 June 2006 44 0 0 
			 July 2006 185 100 0 
			 August 2006 377 151 0 
			 September 2006 397 130 0 
			 October 2006 372 87 0 
			 November 2006 183 166 0 
			 December 2006 166 374 0 
			 January 2007 124 241 0 
			 February 2007 211 282 17 
			 March 2007 297 1492 30 
			 April 2007 4 42 0 
			 May 2007 230 55 0 
			 June 2007 175 354 2 
			 July 2007 171 296 11 
			 August 2007 226 266 16 
			 September 2007 161 676 10 
			 October 2007 214 372 26 
			 November 2007 213 418 8 
			 December 2007 316 1367 18 
			 January 2008 240 574 12 
			 February 2008 341 1394 23 
			 March 2008 585 4317 31 
			 April 2008 31 126 2 
			 May 2008 170 267 4 
			 June 2008 439 705 20 
		
	
	We do not set individual monthly targets for Open Market HomeBuy or NewBuild HomeBuy to ensure flexibility within the programme. Social HomeBuy is a demand led product and as such no targets are associated with this programme.

Interreg Programme

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2008,  Official Report, column 1636W, on the Interreg Programme, if she will place in the Library a copy of the updated edition of the INTERACT Handbook that was produced for the Interinstitutional Conference on the European Grouping of Territorial Co-operation, held in Brussels in June 2008.

John Healey: I have placed a copy of the updated INTERACT Handbook on the European Grouping of Territorial Co-operation in the Library of the House.

Interreg Programme

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2008,  Official Report, column 1636W, on the Interreg Programme, whether bodies set up under the provisions of European Grouping of Territorial Co-operation Regulations 2007, with a registered office in the United Kingdom, will be a public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

John Healey: For the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act, bodies with a registered office in the United Kingdom set up under the provisions of the European Grouping of Territorial Co-operation Regulations 2007 are not designated as public authorities.

Landfill Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2008,  Official Report, column 318W, on landfill tax, what the notional amount of funding given to local authorities in each year since 2003 to compensate for rising landfill tax was, according to calculations held by her Department when drawing up the local government finance settlement.

John Healey: Formula Grant is not hypothecated. It is not therefore possible to identify an amount provided for a particular item of expenditure.

Local Government Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment her Department has made of the effects of oil price changes on local authority costs.

John Healey: The Government have given local government the stability and certainty it asked for, in providing a three-year financial settlement for the period from 2008-09 to 2010-11. We have continued to provide real terms increases in funding for local government, with overall Government grant increasing by an annual average of 1.5 per cent. up to 2010-11. It is for local authorities, as for other organisations, to assess and manage in-year pressures on their budgets such as increases in fuel prices.

Local Government Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the capacity of local authorities to increase their revenue through greater use of charging powers; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: The need for consistent and creative approaches to charging was highlighted in the recent Audit Commission report Positively Charged. It showed that the approaches local authorities take to charging vary widely across the country and that the best authorities are using charges, with public backing, to improve services. The Government have made no separate assessment of local authorities' capacity to increase revenue through their use of charging powers.

Local Government: Elections

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average turnout for local council elections in Halifax has been since 1988.

Parmjit Dhanda: Since 1988, the average voter turnout for the Calderdale council wards falling wholly or mostly within the Halifax parliamentary constituency has been 36.62 per cent. Averages by year are:-
	
		
			   Average voter turnout 
			 1988 35.81 
			 1990 45.46 
			 1991 41.37 
			 1992 36.26 
			 1994 40.72 
			 1995 36.05 
			 1996 32.55 
			 1998 30.00 
			 1999 29.06 
			 2000 26.85 
			 2002 30.65 
			 2003 38.27 
			 2004 49.96 
			 2006 37.81 
			 2007 37.53 
			 2008 37.57 
		
	
	The Wards concerned are:-
	 1998 to 2003 election
	Illingworth
	Mixenden
	Northowram and Shelf
	Ovenden
	St. John's
	Skircoat
	Sowerby Bridge
	Town
	Warley
	 2004 elections to present
	Illingworth and Mixenden
	Northowram and Shelf
	Ovenden
	Park
	Skircoat
	Sowerby Bridge
	Town
	Warley
	Ward boundary changes took effect on 1 December 2003.

Local Government: Standards

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what targets she plans to set for local authorities for national indicator 154 under local area agreements.

John Healey: Targets in local area agreements (LAAs) are set by agreement between each local area, led by its local authority, and the Government. LAAs are now in place in all 150 local areas in England. Details on each LAA, including the agreed targets, are available at:
	www.localpriorities.communities.gov.uk
	and
	http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=8399555.

Maps: Databases

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what geo-spatial and geo-demographic data from her Department's Maps on Tap database are used by the Valuation Office Agency.

John Healey: None. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 1 July 2008,  Official Report, column 789W.

Michael Clark

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2008,  Official Report, columns 267-8W, on Michael Clark, when she expects the review by West Yorkshire MAPPA to be published.

Parmjit Dhanda: The West Yorkshire MAPPA strategic management board is meeting on 18 July to consider the report prepared by its review panel into the murder committed by Michael Clark. The strategic management board will consider whether it is satisfied with the report or whether further work needs to be undertaken. The strategic management board will consider any recommendations and what actions, if any, need to be taken. It is for the strategic management board to determine whether or not to publish the report.

Non-domestic Rates: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost to her Department was of providing business rate revaluation transitional relief in each year from 2000 to 2005.

John Healey: There was no cost to the Department. The 2000 to 2005 transitional relief scheme was, and continues to be, designed so that it is financed from other business rate payers, so that the gross income remained the same overall.

Parish Councils

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what criteria parish councils must meet to achieve Quality Parish status.

John Healey: The criteria are set out in the revised Guide to becoming a Quality Council, which was published by the National Association of Local Councils in June 2008.

Planning

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Beckenham of 14 May 2008,  Official Report, column 1636W, on planning, whether the national policy statement on waste will cover planning policy relating to  (a) landfill sites,  (b) incinerators and  (c) civic amenity sites.

John Healey: National policy statements will only deal with the types of infrastructure set out in clause 14(1) of the Planning Bill. We are still considering the particular detail of each national policy statement, and will make further announcements in due course.

Planning

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Beckenham of 14 May 2008,  Official Report, column 1636W, on planning, whether the national policy statement on waste will be technology-specific.

John Healey: We are still considering the particular detail of each national policy statement, and will make further announcements in due course.

Property: Photographs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 25 June 2007,  Official Report, columns 177-78W, on property: photographs, if she will provide the information given in the answer as at June 2008.

John Healey: For England, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 7 July 2008,  Official Report, column 1363W. Council tax in Wales is a devolved matter.
	A breakdown by local authority could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Regional Planning and Development: Eco-towns

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2008,  Official Report, column 47W, on regional planning and development: eco towns, whether the Regional Spatial Strategy partial reviews will be  (a) commenced or  (b) finished by 2011.

Caroline Flint: In the Housing Green Paper we said we would initiate partial reviews of Regional Spatial Strategies where necessary to ensure provision for 240,000 net additions per annum by 2016. Given changes in the housing market over the last year the Government have decided that we will work with regional partners on a flexible basis to agree the work programme and timetable with each Regional Assembly. This will take account of regional priorities and demands, including longer term housing needs, proposals for eco towns and new growth points, and the need to manage the transition to the proposed Single Regional Strategy.

Travelling People: Council Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what criteria are applied by the Valuation Office Agency to determine whether a Traveller caravan should be rated for council tax purposes.

John Healey: Criteria applied are, that a pitch must be occupied (i) by a caravan that is a sole or main residence of an individual and (ii) in such a way, and with sufficient permanence, as to qualify as a hereditament, or part of a hereditament.

Valuation Office: Maps

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the Answer of 19 June 2006,  Official Report, columns 1600-01W, whether the Valuation Office Agency holds hard copy or electronic maps of each locality.

John Healey: The current delineation of each locality in England is held in electronic format.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Children: Disabled

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent steps the Government has taken to assist schools with disabled pupils.

Kevin Brennan: In June 2006, we published the training resource Implementing the Disability Discrimination Act in schools and early years settings and made it available to all schools and local authorities. This was prepared with the Disability Rights Commission, and provides schools and LAs with practical tools to improve their effectiveness. It helps them to make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils, and to review and revise their accessibility plans. These show how schools will increase access for disabled pupils to school premises and facilities, to the curriculum, and to information in alternative formats. A series of regional conferences was organised to publicise and disseminate the resource.
	In 2007, we published additional guidance to support schools in implementing the disability equality duty and developing their disability equality scheme. This guidance is published as part of the same resource. It was also disseminated through a series of regional conferences.
	We have also assisted schools to address bullying against disabled children and those with special educational needs by publishing Bullying Involving Children with Special Educational Needs and Disability, on 15 May 2008.

Children: Disadvantaged

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of children entitled to but not taking up free school meals;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of children living in poverty who are not claiming free school meals.

Kevin Brennan: The requested information is not available.
	We do not collect information on the number of pupils who may be eligible for free school meals but do not register as eligible.

Children: Poverty

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children were in poverty in  (a) Leeds West,  (b) Leeds Metropolitan District and  (c) the UK in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	The available information, published in the Households Below Average Income series, is that there were 3.4 million children living in households in Great Britain with below 60 per cent. of median contemporary income before housing costs in 1997/98; and there were 2.9 million such children in the United Kingdom in 2006/07. The Households Below Average Income series cannot provide information below the level of Government office region.
	Work is currently under way to develop an indicator of child poverty at the local level that will measure the proportion of children in families living in poverty in both out of work and in work families. It is intended that this indicator will be used as the local area agreement child poverty indicator from April 2009 onwards.

Departmental Co-ordination: Dept for Innovation Universities and Skills

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he last met the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills to discuss co-ordination of policy between the two Departments.

Kevin Brennan: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families has regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues on issues of mutual interest.

Departmental Co-ordination: Ministry of Justice

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he last met the Secretary of State for Justice to discuss co-ordination of policy between their two Departments.

Kevin Brennan: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families has regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues on issues of mutual interest.

Departmental Pay

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how much the directors in his Department have been paid in bonuses in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how much has been paid in bonuses to senior civil servants in his Department since its establishment.

Kevin Brennan: The Department was created on 28 June 2007. The breakdown of bonuses for the senior civil service for the 2007-08 financial year is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   
			   Number of bonus awards made to senior civil servants in DCSF  Total cost of the bonuses awarded 
			 2007-08 91 577,972.38

Departmental Sick Leave

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many staff in his Department have had five or more periods of sickness absence of less than five days in two or more of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: Since the Department was formed in the 28 June 2007 Machinery of Government changes, 67 staff have had five or more periods of sickness absence of less than five days. This applies from the date of establishment of the Department to 31 March 2008 (the latest information available).

Fish

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much fish was procured by his Department and at what cost in each of the last five years, broken down by species; and what amount and value of such fish met the Marine Stewardship Council standard in each such year, broken down by species.

Kevin Brennan: The Department for Children, Schools and Families catering service is contracted out and the information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Home Information Packs

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many home information packs have been commissioned by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies to market a residential property; for which properties; at what cost; and whether a voluntary home condition report was purchased as part of the packs.

Kevin Brennan: The requirement to prepare Home Information Packs applies to the marketing for sale of residential properties. This Department has not been involved in any such transactions since 1 August 2007.

Parents: Alcoholism

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of children living with an alcoholic parent in each of the last 10 years.

Beverley Hughes: The Government do not annually record the number of young people affected by parental alcohol misuse. However the Interim Analytical report produced for the 2004 report 'Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England' by the Prime Ministers Strategy Unit estimates that between 780,000 and 1.3 million children are affected by parental alcohol problems.
	The Government recognise that parental alcohol misuse is a serious problem in the family and has negative effects on a child's life chances. This is why my Department is investing in targeted services for those families at risk that will help to reduce the risk of dependency on alcohol and break the cycle of problems being transferred between generations. The drugs strategy 'Drugs: Protecting Families and Communities', published in February 2008, introduced families as a key priority and highlighted the need for support to prevent future problems for children. This proposed a programme of intensive support services to reach the most chaotic families through the Family Interventions project; and Family Pathfinders to develop local systems and services that improve outcomes for families at risk. We are committed to further evaluating a number of programmes to better gauge their impact on reducing alcohol problems.

Personal Injury

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the highest 10 payments made by his Department in settlement of personal injury claims brought against it were over the last 12 months for which figures are available; which of those cases were  (a) contested and  (b) uncontested by the Department; and what the nature of the incident was in each case.

Kevin Brennan: The Department has made two settlements in respect of personal injury claims brought against it over the last 12 months for which figures are available, which covers the period 1 December 2006 to 30 November 2007. Both claims were contested. No payments have been made in settlement of personal injury claims since November 2007.
	Because of the low numbers involved, disclosure of any details of the claims would allow the individuals to be identified.

Positive Activities for Young People Programme

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he took in choosing local authorities to take part in the COO-L positive activities bursary pilot.

Beverley Hughes: The two COO-L (Choice and Opportunities On-Line) pilots are part of a programme involving nine local authorities to test different approaches to addressing the particular barriers to participation in positive activities that exist for disadvantaged young people in their area. Local authorities were invited to take part because the development work they had already undertaken, as pilot areas for the youth opportunity card, showed evidence of the benefits to be gained both for disadvantaged young people in their area and in informing national strategy on youth activities. Each local authority was required to submit a detailed plan, demonstrating value for money, against clearly defined criteria.

Pre-school Education: Finance

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2008,  Official Report, columns 1149-51W, on pre-school education: finance, if he will break down the budget lines for  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07 and  (c) 2007-08 by category of expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: Expenditure on under fives is provided to local authorities in a single amount as part of the wider Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) which provides funding to schools across the 3 to 16 age range. It is a matter for each local authority to distribute the grant between all schools and early years settings in response to local needs.

Pupil Referral Units: Special Educational Needs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of pupils with statements of special educational needs in pupil referral units obtained one or more GCSEs at grades A* to C in the school year 2006-07.

Kevin Brennan: The information required to answer this question is not held centrally.

Pupil Referral Units: Truancy

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many pupils received  (a) temporary and  (b) permanent exclusions from pupil referral units in school year 2006-07;
	(2)  how many unauthorised absences there were of pupils in pupil referral units in  (a) 2004-05,  (b) 2005-06 and  (c) 2006-07
	(3)  what percentage of pupils in pupil referral units were classed as persistent truants in school year 2006-07.

Kevin Brennan: The requested information on exclusions from Pupil Referral Units in 2006-07 is not collected centrally. Information is available for the years 2004-03 and 2004-05 and this is shown in the following table,
	Information on absence from Pupil Referral Units for complete school years is not yet collected centrally, therefore no information is available on unauthorised absence or persistent absentees (pupils who are absent for more than 20 per cent. of possible sessions of attendance). Information for the 2007-08 school year will be collected in spring 2009; however, this does not include information on persistent absentees. The Department does not maintain records of 'truancy', as authorised absence rates include lateness and unauthorised holidays during term time.
	
		
			  Pupil referral units: Number and percentage of exclusions 2003-04: England 
			   Permanent exclusions  Fixed period exclusions 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2003-04  2004-05 
			   Number  Percentage( 1)  Number  Percentage( 1)  Number  Percentage( 1)  Number  Percentage( 1) 
			 England(2) 30 0.26 40 0.28 5,780 44.34 7,630 52.75 
			 (1 )The number of exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number of pupils in Pupil Referral Units. (2) National figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  Termly exclusions survey.

Pupils: Diabetes

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department is taking to ensure that children and young people with diabetes receive the support they need to manage their condition in school.

Kevin Brennan: The Department issued guidance entitled 'Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings', in 2005. This guidance was published jointly with the Department of Health, and specifically addresses what schools can do to help children with diabetes and other medical conditions. We also produced sister guidance in the same year, entitled 'Including Me: managing complex health needs in schools and early years settings'.
	In April 2007, the Department of Health published a report entitled 'Making Every Young Person with Diabetes Matter', and has convened a group to support the implementation of best practice as set out in the report. The Department for Children, Schools and Families is represented on that group.

Schools: Bureaucracy

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proposals he has to reduce levels of bureaucracy in schools following the introduction of the New Relationship with schools; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The New Relationship with Schools was launched in early 2004 with two aims: to lift burdens from schools and also to sharpen school accountability. It was prompted by a review in 2003 which reported that schools felt burdened and confused by the demands placed on them by Government and other external agencies. Changes since 2004 have yielded significant reductions in burdens:
	the establishment of new, simplified, processes for schools to supply data to Government and non-departmental public bodies;
	simplification of school funding arrangements so that there are now far fewer distinct funding elements for schools to account for separately;
	replacement of large paper mailings to schools with electronic provision of information;
	replacement of each school's Governors' annual report to parents and annual meeting for parents with a School Profile containing some nationally provided data and narrative written by each school to a nationally set format;
	use of inspection reports to determine renewal of specialist schools' status instead of the specific application forms that schools had to fill in formerly.
	With these gains now achieved, our approach now is to tackle the issue of burdens as an integral part of the development of any policy affecting schools. Our Children's Plan sets out an important enhanced role for schools, alongside other children's services, in helping all children live happy and fulfilling lives. So we keep the issue of burdens on schools under constant review as we develop all our policies. To take two examples,
	a standing group of school leaders will this week be scrutinising the burdens resulting from the measures schools have to take to prevent the employment of unsuitable adults to work with children;
	we are working with a group of representatives from schools and the school work force to design indicators of schools' performance in supporting children's general well-being.
	This approach recognises and tackles important imperatives which can pull in different directions and where the balance is not always easy to strike.

Schools: Disabled

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many  (a) secondary schools,  (b) special schools and  (c) primary schools have put a disability equality scheme in place;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to assist schools to develop a disability equality scheme where such schemes do not already exist; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what steps his Department is taking to monitor the implementation of schools' disability equality schemes; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what arrangements his Department has put in place to monitor the extent to which schools achieve compliance with the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 2005.

Kevin Brennan: Local authorities and schools are required by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended) to develop accessibility strategies and plans to improve access to school education for disabled pupils, and to have disability equality schemes. We would expect all schools and local authorities to meet their statutory duties under the Act, including schools informing parents of the accessibility plan and disability equality scheme and providing annual progress reports. To aid schools and local authorities in developing their accessibility and equality plans, the Government have issued a training resource entitled 'Implementing the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) in schools and early years settings'. This provides schools and local authorities with practical tools to improve their effectiveness in (a) making reasonable adjustments to include disabled pupils and (b) in reviewing and revising their accessibility plans. In 2006, the Government facilitated a number of national roadshows to aid schools and local authorities in developing reasonable adjustments and accessibility plans. In 2007, the Government facilitated a further series of roadshows to support schools and local authorities in developing their disability equality schemes.
	Schools are also expected to complete Ofsted's self-evaluation form to outline the extent to which they have complied with the general requirements of the Act and other equalities legislation, as part of the inspection arrangements. The National Strategies SEN regional advisers' visits to local authorities also consider whether systems are in place for assessing whether schools have disability equality schemes.
	The Secretary of State has the power to direct a school or local authority not fulfilling their duties in relation to accessibility strategies and plans. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission is responsible for taking action against a school that has not met its duties under the disability equality duty (part 5 of the DDA). We would expect all schools and local authorities to have disability equality schemes and do not collect data centrally on those which have them in place.

Schools: Transport

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many local authorities did not produce a transport policy statement under Schedule 19 of the Education Act 2002 in each of the last three years.

Jim Knight: We of course expect all local authorities to satisfy their duties under the Education Act 1996 (as amended by the Education Act 2002). Local authorities in England are required to prepare and publish a transport policy statement specifying what arrangements for the provision of transport or otherwise, and for the provision of financial assistance in respect of travelling expenses, it considers necessary to facilitate attendance at schools and institutions of further education of students who are over compulsory school age but under 19 and students who are over 19 but who began their course before they reached 19.
	The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has responsibility for delivering the administrative functions in relation to local authority duties for transport for people of sixth form age (as set out in the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and related statutory instrument).
	Therefore, I will make arrangements for Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, to write to the hon. Member for Yeovil with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Mark Haysom dated 14 July 2008:
	I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Questions that asked; How many local authorities did not produce a transport policy statement under Schedule 19 of the Education Act 2002 in each of the last three years. (216078)
	What assessment the Learning and Skills Council has made of transport policy statements produced under Schedule 19 of the Education Act 2002; and if he will make a statement. (216079)
	Under s509AB(5) of the Education Act 1996 (as amended by the Education and Inspections Act 2006) the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has power to issue guidance to local authorities in respect of the preparation of their transport statements and the local authority must have regard to that guidance in preparing the statement. The LSC can also specify persons with whom the local authority must consult in preparing its statement.
	The LSC issues annual guidance to Local Authorities pursuant to this power. It also administers the transport partnership funding on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
	The LSC also has certain powers and duties in relation to the Secretary of States' powers under the Education Act 1996 to ensure that local authorities carry out their statutory duties in relation to transport for post-16 learners. In summary the LSC has the responsibility of trying to resolve complaints and challenges in relation to the exercise by local authorities of their duties in relation to transport for learners of sixth form age. However the power to give directions to local authorities in the event they are failing to comply with their duties in relation to transport statements rests with the Secretary of State.
	It should be noted that the LSC does not have any power or duty to formally approve the local authority's transport statement and giving formal approval would potentially conflict with the LSC's duties to consider complaints and challenges to local authority's exercise of their responsibilities. Furthermore although there is a requirement for local authorities to consult the LSC in preparing their statements there is no statutory requirement that the statements must be approved by the LSC. This consultation is carried out through the local transport partnership of which LSC Area Teams are a member. The partnership considers whether statement is comprehensive and responds to local transport issues but the LSC does not assess the local authority transport policy statement to determine compliance with its legal obligations.
	Figures below indicate the number of local authorities who provided the LSC with a copy of their annual transport policy statement (out of a total of 150 local authorities)
	05/06  130
	06/07  146
	07/08  148

Specialised Diplomas: Young Offender Institutions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many young offender institutions he expects will offer teaching for the new diplomas in  (a) September 2008,  (b) September 2009 and  (c) September 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: Teaching for the new Diplomas is not scheduled to be offered in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) in September 2008 or 2009, although HMYOI Lancaster Farms is currently participating in a functional skills pilot. YOIs wishing to deliver Diplomas from 2010 will be able to apply through the Diploma Gateway this autumn and applications from YOIs will be welcomed.
	As part of the implementation of the 14-19 reforms and our plans to improve education in custody, we are considering how we best deliver the 14-19 curriculum for young people in juvenile custody.

Wood

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how much timber and timber products were procured by his Department and its predecessor in each of the last five years; and at what cost;
	(2)  how much timber and timber products were procured by his Department and its predecessor originating from independently verified legal and sustainable sources or from a licensed FLEGT partner in each of the last five years; and at what cost.

Kevin Brennan: The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) can only provide aggregate spend for the purchase of office furniture which includes chairs and other non timber purchases. It does not hold separate information on timber products alone and is therefore unable to provide costs on those timber products which originated from independently verified legal and sustainable sources or from licensed FLEGT partners. The breakdown of aggregate spend for each of the last fours years is:
	
		
			   Total cost () 
			 2004-05 524,490 
			 2005-06 315,124 
			 2006-07 123,703 
			 2007-08 1,269,169 
		
	
	DCSF, like all central Government Departments, actively seek to buy all wood and wood products (including furniture) from legal sustainable sources. From April 2009, all Departments will be required to procure legal and sustainable timber or timber licensed under the EU's Forest Law Enforcement, Government and Trade (FLEGT) initiative.

Young People: Unemployment

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what datasets his Department publishes which include information on the number of young people who are not in employment, education or training; and what the expected date of next publication of each set of data is.

Beverley Hughes: The Department's principal estimates of the number of young people of academic age 16 to 18 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) are based on data from a range of administrative sources and the Labour Force Survey (LFS), and are published annually in a Statistical First Release each June. The most recent publication can be found via the following link: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000792/index.shtml. These data are used to measure the Department's target to reduce the number of young people NEET by 2 percentage points by 2010 (from a baseline of 9.6 per cent. at end 2004).
	NEET estimates based solely on the LFS are published by the Department quarterly following the release of each LFS Quarterly dataset. They are published in the NEET Quarterly Brief, available on the Department's Research and Statistics Gateway. As a sample survey, LFS estimates of NEET are subject to sampling error, and these estimates are not as accurate as the official measure outlined above. However, they allow monitoring of in-year trends in the numbers of young people NEET.
	The Department publishes figures on young people NEET from the Youth Cohort Study (YCS). For the first time, in 2008, these published statistics also used data from the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE). Both of these sources are sample surveys, and provide information on young people from a single cohort rather than across the 16 to 18 age range. While the estimates of NEET produced from these sources are not accurate as the SFR measure, they are useful in providing breakdowns of NEET by characteristics and background. The next publication date for these combined data will be announced in the schedule of publications to be issued in March 2009.
	Connexions services also collect information on young people known to them to be NEET. Connexions data on the number and proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds NEET in each local authority are made publicly available on the DCSF website. Figures for the end of each year are made available by April of the following year.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Departmental Information Officers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the average cost to his Department was of employing a press and media officer in 2007-08.

David Lammy: The Department's average cost to employ a press and media officer is;
	
		
			  Information officer   
			 Monthly salary 2,748.50 
			 Monthly ERNIC 207.54 
			 Monthly Superannuation 535.74 
			 Total monthly pay costs 3,491.78

Departmental Manpower

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many permanent staff in  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies are classed as (i) staff without posts and (ii) part of a people action team.

David Lammy: There are currently 11 staff in the Department who are classed as priority movers and are actively seeking posts within the Department or elsewhere in the civil service. The Department actively manages and supports employees in this position by ensuring access to vacancy information and engaging them in project work and other posts until a permanent position is secured.
	The Department's agencies have delegated responsibility for their human resource functions and the information requested is not held centrally.

Departmental Responsibilities

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many reviews of regulation  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have conducted or commenced since its establishment; and in which areas.

David Lammy: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created one year ago. Since then, DIUS, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory and the Intellectual Property Office have reviewed six policy areas, which resulted in 18 amended or consolidated pieces of regulation.
	The number of statutory instruments fully or partially revoked as a result of these reviews could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Education: Transport

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment the Learning and Skills Council has made of transport policy statements produced under Schedule 19 of the Education Act 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
	The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has responsibility for delivering the administrative functions in relation to local authority duties for transport for young people of 6th form age (as set out in the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and related statutory instrument).
	Therefore, I will make arrangements for Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, to write to the hon. Member for Yeovil with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 14 July 2008:
	I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Questions that asked; How many local authorities did not produce a transport policy statement under Schedule 19 of the Education Act 2002 in each of the last three years. (216078)
	What assessment the Learning and Skills Council has made of transport policy statements produced under Schedule 19 of the Education Act 2002; and if he will make a statement. (216079)
	Under s509AB(5) of the Education Act 1996 (as amended by the Education and Inspections Act 2006) the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has power to issue guidance to local authorities in respect of the preparation of their transport statements and the local authority must have regard to that guidance in preparing the statement. The LSC can also specify persons with whom the local authority must consult in preparing its statement.
	The LSC issues annual guidance to Local Authorities pursuant to this power. It also administers the transport partnership funding on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
	The LSC also has certain powers and duties in relation to the Secretary of States' powers under the Education Act 1996 to ensure that local authorities carry out their statutory duties in relation to transport for post-16 learners. In summary the LSC has the responsibility of trying to resolve complaints and challenges in relation to the exercise by local authorities of their duties in relation to transport for learners of sixth form age. However the power to give directions to local authorities in the event they are failing to comply with their duties in relation to transport statements rests with the Secretary of State.
	It should be noted that the LSC does not have any power or duty to formally approve the local authority's transport statement and giving formal approval would potentially conflict with the LSC's duties to consider complaints and challenges to local authority's exercise of their responsibilities. Furthermore although there is a requirement for local authorities to consult the LSC in preparing their statements there is no statutory requirement that the statements must be approved by the LSC. This consultation is carried out through the local transport partnership of which LSC Area Teams are a member. The partnership considers whether statement is comprehensive and responds to local transport issues but the LSC does not assess the local authority transport policy statement to determine compliance with its legal obligations.
	The following figures indicate the number of local authorities who provided the LSC with a copy of their annual transport policy statement (out of a total of 150 local authorities).
	
		
			   Number of authorities 
			 2005/06 130 
			 2006/07 146 
			 2007/08 148

European Institute of Technology and Innovation

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what his policy is on the establishment of a European Institute of Technology and Innovation.

David Lammy: The Government welcome the recent adoption by the Council and European Parliament of a regulation establishing the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT). The regulation provides a solid basis for the EIT to support European innovation through the creation of partnerships (to be known as Knowledge and Innovation Communities) between existing excellent universities, research organisations and businesses in strategically important fields. The Government consider that a high calibre independent Governing Board, which is due to be appointed shortly, will play a key role in building the EIT's reputation. The board is expected to develop detailed operational criteria in the coming months, which will enable the first KICs to be launched around spring 2010. The decision, agreed unanimously in June 2008, that the administrative headquarters will be located in Budapest, should also help ensure that the EIT becomes operational with minimum delay.

Higher Education: Further Education

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what proportion of students studying for a higher education qualification in a further education college are  (a) directly funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England,  (b) funded via a university and  (c) funded by the Learning and Skills Council; and what proportion each of these groups form of the total number of higher education students in England.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information is given in the table.
	
		
			  Higher education enrolments by source of funding, English further education colleges( 1) , 2005/06( 2)  and 2006/07( 3)  academic years 
			   Number  Proportion (Percentage)  Proportion of all higher education enrolments( 4)  (Percentage) 
			 Total higher education enrolments at further education colleges(5) 181,055 100.0 9.2 
			  Of Which:
			 Directly funded by HEFCE(6) 54,250 30.0 2.8 
			 Funded via a university(7) 50,015 27.6 2.5 
			 Funded by LSC 55,675 30.7 2.8 
			 (1) The figures have not been adjusted for colleges that transferred during this period from the FE to the HE sector, or for those which merged with HE institutions. (2) Funded via a university figures come from the 2005/06 HESA record. 2006/07 HESA data are available but the equivalent analysis has not been performed. (3) 2006/07 data is provisional. The final sweep of 2006/07 data will be available in January 2009. (4) All higher education enrolments cover higher education enrolments at further education colleges plus higher education enrolments at higher education institutions. The underlying higher education institution data comes from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record and is on a DIUS whole year count basis. Includes students registered by an English HE institution that are taught at any UK FE college (not just English FE colleges). (5) Includes students with other sources of funding, therefore the sum of HEFCE funded, funded via a university and LSC funded will not sum to the number of all enrolments; likewise the proportions will not sum to 100 per cent. (6) Includes students funded via a HEFCE-recognised funding consortium led by an HE institution. (7) Include students registered at any English HE institution, this includes HE colleges as well as universities.  Notes: 1. Figures are on a DIUS whole year count basis, which counts students enrolled at any point in the academic year. 2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest five and proportions have been rounded to one decimal place.  Source: Learning and Skills Council (LSC) individualised learner record (ILR) apart from funded via a university figures which are from the 2005/06 Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record.

Higher Education: Student Numbers

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many undergraduates in universities in England from households with incomes of  (a) up to 25,000,  (b) 25,000 to 27,120,  (c) 27,120 to 30,000,  (d) 30,000 to 35,000,  (e) 35,000 to 38,330 and  (f) greater than 38,331 attended university in each year since 2006-07 for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 15 May 2008
	 Complete information on household incomes of students is not available centrally.
	The recently announced reforms for 2008/09 mean we estimate that around one third of eligible full-time students will be entitled to a full grant. These students will have a residual household income of 25,000 or less. We also estimate around a third will be entitled to a partial grant, equivalent to a residual household income between 25,000 and 60,005.
	Due to these reforms by 2011, we estimate that the number of full-time students receiving some level of grant will increase by around 100,000. As part of this change, we estimate an extra 50,000 students will receive a full grant.

Mathematics: Graduates

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent representations he has received on the adequacy of supply of graduates in mathematics and sciences.

Ian Pearson: There have been representations from a range of organisations who have raised issues concerning the supply of graduates in mathematics and sciences. DIUS Ministers have met senior representatives from professional, educational and business organisations, including the Wellcome Trust, the National Academies, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institute of Physics, GlaxoSmithKline, the Business Council for Britain, CBI, Shell UK, Universities UK, National Science Learning Centre, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network (STEMNET) and many others. DIUS Ministers and officials have also corresponded with numerous organisations and individuals on this issue, and my Department maintains an active dialogue with many of these.
	The Government are committed to increasing the number of young people studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at higher education level. DIUS supports a range of measures, and works closely with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), to raise awareness of these subjects and to increase the engagement of young people in STEM activities to encourage them to pursue these subjects beyond school.
	The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is providing 160 million over five years to increase the demand for and supply of students doing strategically important and vulnerable subjects, of which the majority will be spent on STEM subjects. Additional funding of 75 million has also been made available from 2007-08 for three years, for high-cost strategic science subjects at undergraduate level, including chemistry, physics and chemical engineering.

Medicine: Education

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what discussions he and his Department's officials have had with their counterparts in the Department of Health on the adequacy of student financial support available through the Student Loans Company and the NHS Grants Unit for medical students.

Bill Rammell: Maintenance and tuition fee support for medical students is shared between the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department of Health; the Department's officials meet regularly to consider issues of mutual interest.
	Students on the standard undergraduate medical and dental courses are eligible for tuition fee and maintenance support on the same terms as other undergraduate students for the first four years. For the fifth and subsequent years of their courses the tuition fees are paid by the Department of Health and students are eligible for a means-tested NHS bursary and a reduced (broadly 50 per cent.) non means-tested student loan.
	Graduates can apply to do an accelerated four-year medical or dental course. Graduates will have to fund the first year's fees but are still eligible for a loan for maintenance. Tuition fees are then paid in full and means-tested bursary support is available from the NHS from the second year onwards of these courses on the same basis as students in year 5 and onwards of the standard undergraduate course.
	Officials in the Department will be working with those at the Department of Health as they take forward recommendations in their report A High Quality Workforce: NHS Next Stage Review.

Pupil Referral Units: Speech Therapy

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many speech and language therapists are employed in pupil referral units.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	Teachers and other staff with a variety of skills and experience working in pupil referral units cater for the diverse needs of children and young people educated in these settings. However, data on the number of staff employed specifically as speech and language therapists are not collected centrally.

Students: Ethnic Groups

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will promote opportunities for students from ethnic minorities living in urban areas to undertake studies in the land-based economy based in rural colleges.

David Lammy: The profile and attractiveness of careers in the land-based economy are being drawn to young people's attention in different ways. Those currently interested in learning about land-based industries can already study for a GCSE in environmental and land-based science. From September 2009 there will be a new diploma in environmental and land-based studies. There is also a network of specialist schools and academies located across urban and rural areas. Discretionary learner support funding is available to individual students through colleges, and included within this is support for residential courses. Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for the land-based industries, helps to raise awareness of opportunities in the sector to young people, and has a dedicated website aimed at young people
	www.ajobin.com.

Students: Loans

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the average time taken by graduates to pay off student loans following receipt of a salary of 15,000 per annum was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 15 July 2008
	Income contingent loans were introduced in 1998. Students only begin to repay their loan in the April after leaving university or college and their repayments begin when their income reaches the threshold of 15,000. Repayments are made through the UK tax system and for borrowers on PAYE employers make deductions at 9 per cent. of income above 15,000 threshold.
	Borrowers in receipt of a salary of 15,000 per annum do not make any repayments; and loan balances are written off after 25 years.
	Actual data on average time to repay income contingent loans are unavailable for most income contingent loan borrowers, because most have yet to complete repayment. We estimate that a student who entered higher education in 2006/07 will take an average of around 13 years to repay their student loan. The repayment period is counted from the April following the year of graduation. The calculation is based on assumptions about lifetime graduate earnings, derived from the British Household Panel Survey and the Labour Force Survey. The calculation takes account of gender, age and periods spent unemployed or inactive for other reasons.

Video Games: Education

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  how many computer games development courses, and other related degree courses, have been accredited by Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for Creative Media;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the content and standard of computer games development courses offered at UK universities;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of the utility to industry employers of degree courses in computer games development.

David Lammy: holding answer 14 July 2008
	Our high level skills strategy sets out a clear aim of more, and more employable, graduates, and recognises an important role for Sector Skills Councils in working with both industry and higher education.
	With support from the sector, Skillset has accredited four computer games degrees. 11 higher education institutions (HEIs) in England are currently interested in seeking such accreditation.
	Quality Assurance Agency reviews of HEIs' own quality and standards arrangements have consistently shown standards in UK HE are robust and that their procedures, and those of the institutions themselves, repeatedly demonstrate the strength of academic quality and standards throughout a very diverse system. However, it is important that the computer games industry works with Skillset to articulate specific skill and knowledge demands so that HEIs can take these into account in course design.
	I am aware of calls from the games industry to increase the number of graduates in specialist games degrees, mathematics, physics and computer sciences able to enter it. I will carefully consider any views on this subject submitted in response to the Department's consultation document 'Higher Education at WorkHigh Skills: High Value'.

Vocational Training: Trade Unions

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much funding is being provided for trades union educational programmes in 2008-09.

David Lammy: Trade unions have a key role to play in promoting the development of learning and skills in the workplace. To help them do this the Government introduced the Union Learning Fund in 1998 to enable trade unions use their influence with employers, employees and training providers to encourage greater take up of learning at work and boost their own capacity as learning organisations. The Government will invest 21.5 million through the Union Learning Fund in 2008-09.
	With the help of the Union Learning Fund, trade unions and their Union Learning Representatives have been really successful in working with employees and employers to raise skill levels in the workplace. There are now over 20,500 trained Union Learning Representatives who have helped over 600,000 workers into learning since the fund was introduced in 1998, and over 200,000 last year alone - including over 34,000 workers with poor basic literacy and numeracy skills.
	Union Learning Representatives and other trade union representatives and officers can also access LSC-funded training, delivered through a network of approved colleges, to help them carry out their duties more effectively.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Zimbabwe

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent humanitarian assistance has been provided by the Government to Zimbabwean refugees in neighbouring countries.

Gillian Merron: The UK is providing some 1.2 million of humanitarian assistance to Zimbabwean migrants at the border with Zambia and unaccompanied child migrants along the South African border. Additionally, we have provided 400,000 to NGOs caring for victims of South Africa's recent xenophobic violence, many of whom were Zimbabwean.

Zimbabwe

Andrew MacKay: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Mugabe's destructive policies continue to devastate the lives of millions. Half the population will need food aid by the end of the year. An estimated 36,000 people have been displaced internally, over a hundred killed and thousands injured. The decision by the government of Zimbabwe to ban the work of many humanitarian agencies has added to people's suffering.

West Bank

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development What assessment he has made of the likely effect on the Palestinian economy of the measures recently agreed on movement and access in the West Bank.

Shahid Malik: The agreement reached by Israel and the Quartet Representative to improve north-south movement in the west bank and access to the Jordan valley should build confidence and increase economic activity. Progress on this is critical to reviving the Palestinian economy. The agreement on movement and access must be implemented in full.
	As statements by the Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State make clear, improved access to Gaza is crucial to ease the suffering of ordinary Gazans.

Leprosy

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid his Department has given to developing countries to eradicate leprosy in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) provided 12.5 million to the World Health Organisation (WHO) core budget over 2007-08, including an element for leprosy control programmes.
	In Nepal, one of the two remaining leprosy-endemic countries, we support the leprosy control programme through sector budget support to the Nepal Health Sector Programme (NHSP). In 2007-08, we provided 8.95 million to the NHSP, which included support to the International Health Partnership. Over the same period DFID also provided 44,287 to a Leprosy Mission England and Wales community project in India.

G8 Summit

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcome for development policy of the G8 summit was.

Gareth Thomas: Last week's summit reiterated G8 commitment to delivering: $50 billion in extra aid by 2010, ($25 billion to Africa); $4 billion in 'Aid for Trade' and universal access to HIV/AIDs treatment by 2010. The G8 has also pledged over $10 billion for food security; $60 billion over five years for health; 1.5 million more health workers; 100 million bednets by 2010; and $1 billion for the education Fast Track Initiative.

Tuberculosis

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what provision has been made in his Department's five-year research strategy for more effective drugs, diagnostics and vaccines for tuberculosis.

Gillian Merron: In 2005 there were 14.1 million cases of tuberculosis and 1.6 million deaths. The UK Government's 2007 International Development White Paper commits us to increasing funding for new drugs and vaccines. This commitment is reinforced in the Department's new five year research strategy which calls for continued and increased support for product development partnerships to develop vaccines, diagnostics and drugs for HIV and AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. The strategy is available on-line:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/research/newresearch.asp

Microfinance

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is giving to microfinance initiatives in developing countries.

Gillian Merron: Since April 2003, the Department for International Development (DFID) has spent over 186 million on microfinance and financial sector projects.
	DFID supports broader financial sector development programmes to improve access to finance for poor people, where microfinance is just one component. These programmes aim to encourage the entry of financial institutions into the microfinance sector and assist governments to improve the regulatory environment for financial institutions to serve the poor.
	DFID continues to invest in new programmes to support microfinance and improve access to finance. This includes a 9.3 million, five year financial sector development programme in Nigeria and a 32.8 million, seven year programme in Bangladesh.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to improve the provision of aid to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Gillian Merron: The Department for International Development (DFID) recently launched the 2008 to 2010 Country Plan for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which sets out how we will ensure that UK assistance to DRC has the greatest possible impact in reducing poverty and ending conflict. We continually review the effectiveness of our aid, including through internal audit visits and a country programme evaluation planned for later this month. Building on the leading role DFID played in the development of a joint donor strategy for DRC, we continue to be actively involved in discussions with other donors to improve the quality of aid.

Disabled Children in Africa

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to increase the proportion of disabled children in Africa completing schooling.

Gillian Merron: The UK Government are spending 8.5 billion over the period 2006-07 to 2015-16 in support of education in developing countries. This will help support partner countries' plans, policies and programmes to ensure that children, including those with disabilities, benefit from quality education. We expect to spend 500 million annually in support of education in Africa by 2010.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) policy in support of people who are disadvantaged is laid out in the paper Reducing poverty by tackling social exclusion. The paper was placed in the House Library and is available on line:
	http://www.dfif.gov.uk/pubs/files/sovcail-exclusion.pdf).

Afghanistan: Food

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment has been made of the effects of drought on the major food-producing areas in Afghanistan.

Douglas Alexander: In April 2008, the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) visited all 34 provinces to survey 2008 crop yield prospects. The findings indicate that this year Afghanistan will produce only two-thirds of its food needs and will have to import 2 million metric tonnes of grain.
	The worst affected regions are the West, North and North East which are reliant on rain-fed agriculture.

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the UK has put forward proposals for a new humanitarian action plan for Afghanistan addressing rising food prices and deterioration in the security situation.

Douglas Alexander: In August 2008, a Department for International Development (DFID) humanitarian mission will visit Afghanistan to evaluate the situation. The mission will include an assessment of the situation in relation to food insecurity, conflict-affected populations and internally displaced people, as well as an assessment of institutional capacities to coordinate and provide assistance. The team will contribute to the development of a UN Humanitarian Action Plan for Afghanistan.
	On Wednesday 9 July, the Government of Afghanistan and the United Nations launched a joint humanitarian appeal to respond to the recent drought in Afghanistan and high world food prices. DFID contributed to the design of the agricultural recovery component of the appeal and will support a number of the elements in collaboration with other donors.
	DFID support will include: (i) 3 million to the World Food Programme to provide food and cash support to those most affected by high food prices; and (ii) a 3.5 million contribution to a 30 million voucher programme to provide seeds and fertilizer to the most vulnerable farmers in drought affected areas to increase food production.

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  whether the Government supports the deployment of additional UN staff to assist with the co-ordination of the humanitarian relief effort in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-ordinator on a new humanitarian action plan for Afghanistan.

Douglas Alexander: The UK recognises the important role of the United Nations in coordinating donor assistance in Afghanistan. A Department for International Development (DFID) official met with John Holmes, UN Under Secretary General and Emergency Relief Coordinator, on 29 June in Kabul to discuss the humanitarian situation.
	DFID welcomes efforts to increase the capacity of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UMAMA) to better co-ordinate the UN and donors' humanitarian efforts. Plans to increase the UNAMA humanitarian team from two to 15 full time staff will greatly assist in this endeavour.
	In August 2008, a DFID humanitarian mission will visit Afghanistan to evaluate the situation. One of the team's tasks will be to assess and make recommendations on the role and capacity of the UN in providing and co-ordinating humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan.

Africa: Food Aid

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries in Africa are receiving World Food Programme support.

Gillian Merron: According to the World Food Programme (WFP) the agency currently has operations in the following countries in Africa:
	Algeria
	Angola
	Benin
	Burkina Faso
	Burundi
	Cameroon
	Cape Verde
	Central African Republic
	Chad
	Congo (Brazzaville)
	Democratic Rep of Congo
	Cote D'lvoire
	Djibouti
	Egypt
	Eritrea
	Ethiopia
	Gambia
	Ghana
	Guinea
	Guinea-Bissau
	Kenya
	Lesotho
	Liberia
	Madagascar
	Malawi
	Mali
	Mauritania
	Mozambique
	Namibia
	Niger
	Rwanda
	Sao Tome and Principe
	Senegal
	Sierra Leone
	Somalia
	Sudan
	Swaziland
	Tanzania
	Uganda
	Zambia
	Zimbabwe
	Further information on the work of WFP and the countries in which it operates is available on their website:
	http://www.wfp.org/country_brief/index_region.asp

Africa: Food Aid

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimates his Department has made of changes in food aid costs to  (a) Ethiopia,  (b) Gambia,  (c) Afghanistan and  (d) Zambia in the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Over the next five years, changes in food aid costs will be driven by rises in prices of food and fuel, and by increases in the number of people receiving food aid. The World Food programme (WFP) and other agencies estimate that about 100 million additional people may have been rendered food insecure globally as a result of recent price rises. This year, WFP's revised estimate of its total global requirement is approximately 2.4 billion. This represents a 54 per cent. increase compared to the original 2008 requirement. WFP notes that its 2008 requirement may increase further still.
	At country level, changing food aid costs have raised requirements for 2008 from the start of the year as follows:
	In Ethiopia: an increase from approximately 119 million to 177 million;
	In Gambia: an increase from approximately 1.2 million to 1.7 million;
	In Afghanistan: an increase from approximately 66 million to 131 million;
	In Zambia: an increase from approximately 7 million to 9.7 million;
	Realistic predictions of food aid costs beyond one year are not considered to be possible, as a combination of international, regional and national influences can result in high price volatility.
	On 22 April the Secretary of State announced a 455 million aid package to address rising global food prices. The package is designed to address both short term needs and long term solutions. It includes some $60 million (over 30 million) in support of recent appeals by the UN World Food programme for countries most at risk.

Africa: Sanitation

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the effect of recent energy and fuel price rises on levels of spending required between 2008 and 2015 to reach the water and sanitation Millennium Development Goals in  (a) Ethiopia,  (b) Somalia,  (c) Eritrea and  (d) Gambia; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The link between energy and fuel price rises on the one hand, and the levels of spending required between 2008 and 2015 to reach the water and sanitation millennium development goals on the other, is complex.
	Nevertheless, it is clear that fuel prices will increase the costs of MDG delivery and may reduce the availability of Government resources to meet these costs.
	DFID monitors the progress of countries towards achievement of the MDGs. However we do not have data on Gambia and Somalia. Ethiopia and Eritrea are both off track to achieving the MDGs on sanitation, Eritrea is considered to be on track for the Water MDG, but, Ethiopia is off track.
	DFID is providing support for the achievement of water and sanitation MDGs, including some programmes in the countries listed. In Ethiopia, first transfer of our 75 million investment to support the Government's Universal Access program has been made. This will support investments in rural and urban water supply and sanitation. In Eritrea, we have recently agreed a 6 million rural water and sanitation project with UNICEF. In 2006-07 DFID spent 8 million on humanitarian activities in Somalia, a proportion of which went towards projects with water components.

Africa: Social Conditions

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate his Department has made of  (a) the percentage of infants with low birth weight,  (b) the proportion of the population with access to clean drinking water,  (c) primary school attendance levels and  (d) adult literacy rates in (i) Ethiopia, (ii) Malawi, (iii) Afghanistan and (iv) Congo in each of the last 10 years.

Gillian Merron: Indicators on low birth weight, access to improved water, net enrolment and adult literacy are used to track progress towards the millennium development goals. The data are published by the UN and World Bank. Data are not available for all years and every country. Available data for the selected indicators are shown in the following table and are shown on the UN Statistics Division website:
	http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/
	
		
			   1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  Low-birthweight babies (percentage of births)   
			 Ethiopia   15 14   
			 Malawi   16  13  
			 Afghanistan   
			 Congo, Rep.13   
			
			  Improved water source (percentage of population with access)   
			 Ethiopia   2222
			 Malawi   6473
			 Afghanistan   2139
			 Congo, Rep.   5758
			
			  Net enrolment ratio in primary education   
			 Ethiopia  34 37 41 43 44 48 63 70  
			 Malawi  99 96 95   
			 Afghanistan   
			 Congo, Rep.   45 45   
			
			  Literacy rate, adult total (percentage of people ages 15 and above)   
			 Ethiopia   36
			 Malawi 64  
			 Afghanistan   28
			 Congo, Rep.   85
			 '' Data not available  Source: UN Statistics Division and World Bank.

Burma: Overseas Aid

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the impact of rising fuel prices on maintaining levels of relief assistance to Burma; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Prices of food, construction materials, boats and other commodities have risen significantly in Burma since the Cyclone struck in May. This is in line with increased demand and limited supply locally. The added factor, however, is the substantial increase in global fuel prices. The costs of the relief operation are directly affected by both these factors.
	It is expected that the revised appeal for funds, due to be issued by the United Nations on 10 July, will reflect this increase in prices. DFID has pledged 17.5 million to this appeal, bringing the total of UK funding to Burma since the cyclone to 40 million.

Developing Countries: Agriculture

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government plan to take to implement the findings of the International Assessment of Agriculture Technology for Development.

Douglas Alexander: The International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) presents findings and a range of options for different stakeholders (governments, private sector, academics and civil society) to consider. These findings are neither prescriptive nor legally binding on any party. We are assessing these in taking forward the Government's support to developing countries on agricultural knowledge science and technology (AKST).
	The Department for International Development is already taking action in line with IAASTD's findings. In April I announced that DFID will increase its investment in agricultural research to 400 million over five years. This investment will include research on environmentally sustainable solutions, focus on the needs of farmers, address gender issues, look to build public-private partnerships, look at the impact of markets on poor farmers, and support traditional and modern technologies.

Economic Growth

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate his Department has made of likely economic growth in  (a) India,  (b) China,  (c) Brazil and  (d) Venezuela in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11.

Shahid Malik: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not perform its own growth forecasting. To inform its policies, DFID relies upon the economic analysis of the international financial institutions, especially the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The 2008 IMF World Economic Outlook report has the following projections:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			  (a) India  
			 2008 7.9 
			 2009 8.0 
			 2010 8.0 
			 2011 8.0 
			   
			  (b) China  
			 2008 9.3 
			 2009 9.5 
			 2010 10.5 
			 2011 10.0 
			   
			  (c) Brazil  
			 2008 4.8 
			 2009 3.7 
			 2010 4.5 
			 2011 4.0 
			   
			  (d) Venezuela  
			 2008 5.8 
			 2009 3.5 
			 2010 2.2 
			 2011 2.2 
		
	
	These figures represent the estimated annual per cent. change of each country's gross domestic product. I have provided projections from 2008 to 2011 because the IMF reports by calendar year rather than UK financial year.

Horn of Africa: Food

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on food shortages in the Horn of Africa; and what assistance his Department is offering to those countries affected.

Gillian Merron: High and rising food prices, drought and conflict are affecting the Horn of Africa, where several million people are now facing acute food shortages.
	In Ethiopia, the Government and UN agencies estimate that at least 4.6 million people will require food aid from June to November. DFID has committed 25 million to addressing the crisis. These funds will be allocated as follows:
	Up to 10 million through the UN World Food Programme (WFP) for emergency food aid operations.
	9 million through the UN's Humanitarian Response Fund to support supplementary and emergency feeding programmes.
	5 million for the Productive Safety Net Programme. This is additional to 22 million DFID provided in January as our regular annual payment. This government-led programme delivers predictable food and cash transfers to seven million food insecure people and has been successful in reducing the potential scale of the humanitarian crisis.
	At least 1 million to Medecins sans Frontieres for emergency feeding programmes.
	In Somalia, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating alarmingly due to increasing conflict, soaring food prices, deepening drought and a poor start to the April to June season rains. Cereal prices have increased by between 110 per cent. and 375 per cent. in the last year. The UN estimates that the number of people in need of assistance in Somalia has increased to 2.6 million people. This figure could rise to 3.5 million (50 per cent. of the entire population) by the end of the year. DFID has provided 12 million to the UN World Food Programme's operations, which aim to stabilise the worsening nutrition situation for 2.4 million people.

Overseas Aid

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of financial aid from his Department to developing countries is for  (a) education,  (b) health,  (c) earthquake reconstruction,  (d) agriculture development and  (e) encouraging job creation in 2008-09.

Shahid Malik: Information on Department for International Development (DFID) aid allocations for 2008-09 are available in annex 2, table 4, page 245 of the DFID publication Development: Making it Happen, DFID's 2008 annual report. This publication is available online at www.dfid.gov.uk and in the Library of the House.
	It is not yet possible to provide aggregate estimates of total spending in particular sectors across the DFID programme for 2008-09. By 2010-11 we plan to increase our education spend from to 1 billion a year to enable us to meet our commitment to spend 8.5 billion on education in the 10 years leading up to 2015. We have also recently announced plans to spend 6 billion on strengthening health systems and services over the seven years to 2015.

Overseas Aid

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what work his Department has commissioned on social protection systems; in which countries his Department has engaged in work on social protection issues; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The Department for International Development (DFID) has commissioned a range of work to inform the international debate on the role of social protection in the fight against poverty in developing countries, and to provide guidance for the implementation of social assistance tools. Analytical and evidence building work includes studies on the cost, affordability and financing of social assistance, its impact on poverty and the links to growth. This work will contribute to policy analysis and advice, to help inform country partners and the international community. DFID is also in the process of commissioning longer term research on a range of technical and political economy aspects of the design and implementation of social transfer programmes.
	DFID is working in different ways in over 20 countries. In Pakistan, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia this means supporting the development of national social protection strategies. In Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Kenya we are funding major social transfer programmes while in other countries such as Ghana we have helped support smaller pilot projects. We are also helping Brazil and South Africa to share their experience of using social protection to reduce poverty with other developing countries.

Progressio

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what payments his Department has made to Progressio in each year since 1997-98; how much is planned for 2008-09; what restrictions his Department places on the use of such funds; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: Levels of DFID funding to Progressio in each year since 1997-98 are laid out in the following table. Current plans for 2008-09 amount to 3.28 million. Current funding is provided within the usual terms of the International Development Act 2002. No further specific restrictions have been placed on the use of these funds.
	
		
			  Levels of DFID funding to Progressio 
			  Financial year  DFID funding ( million) 
			 1997-98 1.952 
			 1998-99 2.226 
			 1999-2000 2.344 
			 2000-01 2.317 
			 2001-02 2.910 
			 2002-03 2.646 
			 2003-04 2.569 
			 2004-05 2.689 
			 2005-06 2.955 
			 2006-07 2.800 
			 2007-08 (1)2.800 
			 (1) Estimate

Ukraine: Agriculture

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what  (a) type and  (b) level of assistance his Department is providing to increase agricultural outputs in Ukraine in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: The Department for International Development (DFID) closed its bilateral programme in March 2008 in recognition of Ukraine's Middle Income Country status and progress in reducing poverty. As a result we are not contributing directly to increasing agricultural outputs in the Ukraine. However, we continue to support the country's development through our membership of multilaterals, particularly the European Union and World Bank.

Zimbabwe: Asylum

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of refugees who have left Zimbabwe since the March 2008 elections.

Gillian Merron: It is very difficult to estimate the number of Zimbabweans who have left the country by regular and irregular means since the March 2008 elections. Many of those who have fled Zimbabwe will not have refugee status in their host countries and, therefore, will not be recorded as Zimbabwean refugees. In terms of officially recorded refugee figures, reports from humanitarian agencies would suggest the following break down:
	Botswana: 538 granted refugee status, a further 214 being processed;
	Zambia: 18 granted refugee status, a further 25 being processed;
	Mozambique: 68 applications for refugee status are being processed.
	While exact figures for those fleeing since March 2008 are hard to determine, it is not unreasonable to suppose that the worsening crisis in Zimbabwe will act as a spur for further migration.

HEALTH

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library copies of representations received by his Department from interested parties used in the preparation of the partial regulatory impact assessment of the Prohibition of Abortion (England and Wales) Bill of Session 2005-06; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Copies of written representations received from interested parties used in the preparation of the partial regulatory impact assessment of the Prohibition of Abortion (England and Wales) Bill of Session 2005-06 have been placed in the Library. Discussions were also held with a number of organisations, including some of those who made written representations, but a written record of these is not available.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people under the age of 18-years-old who were alcoholics in each of the last 10 years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Back Pain: Medical Treatments

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which primary care trust areas offer botulinum toxin injections for patients with back pain;
	(2)  how many patients in West Sussex were refused funding for botulinum toxin injections for back pain by West Sussex Primary Care Trust in each of the last three years;
	(3)  what the average cost of using botulinum toxin injections for the treatment of back pain was per dose in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: holding answer 14 July 2008
	The information requested is not collected centrally.
	Primary care trusts (PCTs) commission services on behalf of their population and make decisions locally on which treatments to fund, taking into account all available evidence.
	The hon. Member may wish to raise the decisions of the PCT with its chief executive.

Back Pain: Medical Treatments

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the efficacy of the use of botulinum toxin injections for back pain.

Ann Keen: holding answer 14 July 2008
	No such assessment has been made.

Breast Cancer: Medical Treatments

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to implement the recommendations arising from the National Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction Audit.

Ann Keen: There are no plans to implement centrally the recommendations arising from the national mastectomy and breast reconstruction audit.
	However, the information from this audit will be useful for the national health service locally in considering how mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery services are provided and what action may be needed at a local level.
	The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence is currently developing a clinical guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of early breast cancer. The guideline will cover surgical management and breast reconstruction. Publication of the guidance is expected in February 2009.

Car Allowances

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mileage allowance is provided to each category of entitled worker by  (a) his Department and  (b) the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The Department's staff who use their own motor vehicle and have insured it for business use are entitled to claim 40p per mile for the first 4,000 miles in the tax year (starting 6 April 2008) and 25p per mile for every subsequent mile claimed. If staff use their vehicles to carry official passengers they can claim an additional 4p per mile for the first passenger carried and 2p per mile for each subsequent passenger. The passengers are not entitled to claim any mileage allowance.
	Where staff use a motorcycle (again having insured it for business use) they are entitled to claim 24p per mile. Staff who use a bicycle to undertake official travel are entitled to claim 20p per mile.
	These rates apply to all departmental staff irrespective of grade.
	For national health service staff there are recently agreed new rates for regular and standard user rates. These are available on the NHS Employers website at:
	www.nhsemployers.org/pay-conditions/pay-conditions-3179.cfm

Chiropody

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS chiropody provision.

Ann Keen: No assessment has been carried out centrally. It is for primary care trusts in partnership with local stakeholders, including practice based commissioners, local government and the public to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health and to commission services accordingly.

Chlamydia

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps he has taken to raise awareness of  (a) levels of chlamydia in young people and  (b) chlamydia screening programmes.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department launched the Condom Essential Wear campaign in November 2006, to tackle sexually transmitted infections and the behaviours that contribute to their spread. This campaign particularly features chlamydia and gonorrhoea in its creative executions.
	The Department is also investigating how promotional activity at a national level can support the delivery of the National Chlamydia Screening programme.

Cycling

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether  (a) his Department and  (b) his Department's non-departmental public bodies provide (i) tax-free benefits and (ii) other allowances for their staff to purchase bicycles under the Cycle to Work scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department is currently putting in place a cycle to work scheme for its employees. The scheme will support employees in taking greener journeys, by enabling the Department to loan a cycle to an employee, for between 12 to 18 months. The same tax rules apply to benefits in kind provided to employees of Government Departments as to any other employee. The Minister will be writing, in the near future, to the non-departmental public bodies which are not in the scheme, to remind them of the scheme and positively encourage their participation.
	The following table shows the current situation in each of the Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies.
	
		
			  Executive  a gency  Tax-free benefits  Other allowances 
			 Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency No No 
			 NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency No No 
			
			  Executive non-departmental public bodies (ENDPBs)   
			 Appointments Commission No No 
			 Commission for Social Care Inspection No No 
			 Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence No No 
			 General Social Care Council No No 
			 Health Protection Agency No No 
			 Healthcare Commission Yes No 
			 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Yes No 
			 Human Tissue Authority No No 
			 Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts Yes No 
			 National Institute for Biological Standards and Control No No 
			 Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board No No 
			
			  Special Health Authorities   
			 Information Centre for health and social care Currently covers part of the organisation. Shortly to cover fully. No 
			 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Yes No 
			 National Patient Safety Agency Yes (in planning stage) No 
			 National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse No No 
			 NHS Blood and Transplant No No 
			 NHS Business Services Authority No No 
			 NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement No No 
			 NHS Litigation Authority No No 
			 NHS Professionals No No 
			 Mental Health Act Commission No No

Dementia: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people with dementia in Bexley who are paying for care.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Dental Services

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists have  (a) started to provide NHS services and  (b) ceased to provide NHS services since the inception of the new contract.

Ann Keen: This information could be made available only at disproportionate cost.

Dental Services: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of dentists required in  (a) the London borough of Bexley and  (b) Greater London to meet demand for NHS dental care.

Ann Keen: Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for providing or commissioning primary dental care services to reflect local needs. This is a local rather than centrally managed process. The Department has issued guidance to the local national health service on developing local dental commissioning plans. Additional support is available through the national primary care contracting team. The hon. Member may therefore wish to raise this issue locally.

Dental Services: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of NHS dentists required to meet demand in  (a) the non-metropolitan county of Hampshire and  (b) Southampton.

Ann Keen: Primary care trusts are responsible for providing or commissioning primary dental care services to reflect local needs. This is a local rather than centrally managed process, and the Department has issued guidance to the local national health service on developing local dental commissioning plans. Additional support is available through the national primary care contracting team.
	The hon. Member may therefore wish to raise this matter locally.

Dental Services: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Hampshire residents in each local authority area have accessed NHS dental treatment in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: Information is not available in the format requested.
	Under the old dental contractual arrangements, in place up to and including 31 March 2006, the number of patients registered with a national health service dentist was the measure used to monitor access to primary care dental services. However, registration information is not equivalent to the number of patients who accessed an NHS dentist, which is the measure used under the new dental contractual arrangements introduced in April 2006.
	The numbers of patients registered with an NHS dentist as at 31 March for the years 1997 to 2006 are available in Annex A of the NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report, England: 31 March 2006. Information is provided by strategic health authority (SHA) and by primary care trust (PCT).
	This information is based on the old contractual arrangements, which were in place up to and including 31 March 2006. This report, published in August 2006, has already been placed in the Library and is available on-line at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/primary-care/dentistry/nhs-dental-activity-and-workforce-report-england-31-march-2006
	Under the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced in April 2006, patients do not have to be registered with an NHS dentist to receive NHS care. The closest equivalent measure to 'registration' is the number of patients receiving NHS dental services ('patients seen') over a 24-month period. However, this is not directly comparable to the registration data for earlier years.
	Information on the numbers of patients seen by an NHS dentist in England, over the previous 24-month period, is available in Table CI of Annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics for England: Quarter 3: 31 December 2007 report. Information is available for the 24 month periods ending 31 March 2006, 31 March 2007, 30 June 2007, 30 September 2007 and 31 December 2007. Information is provided at SHA and PCT level. This report, published in June 2008, has already been placed in the Library and on-line at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalstats0708q3.
	Information on registrations and patients seen is recorded according to the location of the dental surgery. Most patients will live within the PCT/SHA area in which they receive primary care dental services but some will attend a dentist further afield. Both the above reports have been published by the NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Dental Services: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices in  (a) the non-metropolitan county of Hampshire and  (b) Southampton have stopped accepting new NHS patients in the last 12 months.

Ann Keen: This information is not held centrally.
	Increasing the number of patients seen within national health service dental services as a whole is now a formal priority in The NHS in England: The Operating Framework for 2008-09, copies of this publication have already been deposited in the Library. The Department has supported this with a substantial 11 per cent. uplift in overall allocations to primary care trusts from 1 April 2008.

Diabetes: Health Services

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulance trusts in England have a specific support plan for people with diabetes; and what guidance his Department has issued to ambulance trusts on the preliminary treatment of people with diabetes by ambulance and paramedic staff.

Ann Keen: Responsibility for developing support plans to treat people with diabetes rests with the national health service, and it is for primary care trusts to commission diabetes services that meet the needs of their local population. The Department has not issued any guidance to ambulance trusts on the treatment of people with diabetes.

Diseases: Prisons

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners infected with  (a) HIV and  (b) hepatitis C; and what proportion of that number have been diagnosed in each case as infected.

Ivan Lewis: The last major study of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C prevalence in prisoners in England and Wales found that of 3,942 prisoners surveyed in 1997 and 1998, 0.4 per cent. were infected with HIV, and 7 per cent.(1) with hepatitis C.
	(1) Source:
	Prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C antibodies in prisoners in England and Wales: a national survey. Weild A. R., Gill O. N., Bennett D., Livingstone S. J. M., Parry J. V., Curran L. (2000). Communicable Disease and Public Health 2000;3:121-6.

Diseases: Prisons

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to ensure that prisoners who are at risk of contracting HIV and hepatitis C in prisons receive harm reduction measures equivalent to those offered outside prisons.

Ivan Lewis: The Department has introduced a wide range of harm reduction measures to prisons to help this at risk group.
	The Integrated Drug Treatment System (IDTS) has introduced National Treatment Agency models of care to prisons, through the amalgamation of existing clinical drug treatment services and psychosocial programmes. IDTS aims to get prisoners off illegal drugs and away from risky behaviours through clinical interventions such as maintenance and managed withdrawal.
	Since October 2007, prisons across England and Wales have introduced disinfecting tablets and dispensers. These can be used to sterilise illicitly held needles which may be used for drug-injecting. Their use can prevent and control the transmission of blood borne viruses (BBVs) including HIV and hepatitis C.
	Prison health staff have the authority to supply condoms if, in their clinical judgment, there is a risk of HIV infection or transmission of any other sexually transmitted illness.
	The Hepatitis C Action Plan for England (July 2004) applies to prisoners, copies have already been placed in the Library. It envisages that prisoners should have access to the testing, diagnostic, assessment and treatment services that it specifies. Prisons and their national health service partners draw up, and regularly review, prison health delivery plans within which prisoners' health care needs are assessed, prioritised, resources allocated and delivery monitored.
	A DVD advising prisoners about hepatitis C 'Hep C: Inside and Out' has been distributed to all prisons.
	A health promotion leaflet on blood-borne viruses in prisons: Get Out of Jail BBV Free has been developed by the Department, the British Liver Trust and the Health Protection Agency.

Diseases: Prisons

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what collections of specific data on HIV and hepatitis C diagnosis in prisons are made by the Health Protection Agency.

Ivan Lewis: For HIV and hepatitis C, the disease surveillance systems organised by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), (the Survey of Prevalent HIV Infections Diagnosed (SOPHID), which collects data on prevalent HIV infections, and KC60 statutory returns, which identify diagnoses made in genito-urinary clinics and collect data on new diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections) do include diagnoses of prisoners.
	However, neither identify individual prisons as locations, or whether a person is a prisoner when treated or diagnosed.

Epilepsy: Drugs

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of people taking anti-epileptic drugs unnecessarily as a result of misdiagnosis; and what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the NHS of such drug-taking.

Ann Keen: We have made no estimate of the number of people taking anti-epileptic drugs unnecessarily as a result of misdiagnosis, or of the cost of such drugs to the national health service.

Epilepsy: Health Services

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of the effects of full implementation of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's guidelines on the treatment of epilepsy on mortality rates among those with the disease;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the number of people with epilepsy and prone to seizures who will become seizure-free when the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's guidelines on epilepsy care are fully implemented.

Ann Keen: We have made no estimate of the effect of full implementation of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on the number of people who would be seizure-free, or on the mortality rate for those with epilepsy.
	NICE guidelines have the status of clinical guidelines for health professionals. It is the responsibility of health professionals to use their clinical judgment, in consultation with the individual patient, to decide on the most appropriate treatment options taking into account all relevant guidelines.

Female Genital Mutilation

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department provided for  (a) the prevention of female genital mutilation and  (b) the treatment of cases arising from female genital mutilation in each of the last 10 years.

Ann Keen: The Department has provided 20,000 for a female genital mutilation (FGM) prevalence study and 31,000 for the development of FGM DVD for health professionals. We have also core funded the specialist organisation Foundation for Women's Health, Research and Development (FORWARD), which includes core funding of 30,000 in 2007-08.
	Information is not collected centrally on national health service expenditure on FGM.

Fluoride

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what research he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the health effects of fluoridation of public water supplies in the last three years;
	(2)  what research he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the effects on children's health of the fluoridation of public water supplies in the last three years;
	(3)  what research he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the relationship between fluoride and the incidence of (i) bone cancer, (ii) thyroid gland complaints and (iii) brain disorders in the last three years.

Ann Keen: We continue to refer to key research reports commissioned since 1999. A Systematic Review of Public Water Fluoridation published by the University of York in 2000 found no significant association between water fluoridation and goitre, bone disease or any other systemic illness, but called for further research to strengthen the evidence base. Water Fluoridation and Health, published by the Medical Research Council in 2002, endorsed the University of York's recommendations and suggested priorities for further research. Copies of both reports are available in the Library. Accordingly, the Department commissioned the University of Newcastle upon Tyne to investigate bio-availability (absorption of fluoride, The report, the Bioavailability of Fluoride in Drinking Water, a Human Experimental Study published in 2004, showed no statistically significant differences between absorption of fluoride from naturally fluoridated and artificially fluoridated water. Copies of this publication have already been placed in the Library.
	Evidence to date shows that dental fluorosis in a minority of children remains the only proven effect of the fluoridation of water, besides protection against tooth decay. Dental fluorosis is characterised by a flecking, or more rarely a mottling, of teeth, often only visible when teeth are dried. We are supporting research into the assessment of fluorosis using intra-oral cameras. If, as we expect, it shows that the measurement of dental fluorosis can be standardised, we will undertake a further study of its prevalence and aesthetic impact.

Fluoride

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on alternative sources of fluoride available for ingestion by the public to promote dental health in the last three years.

Ann Keen: An appraisal of our 'Brushing for Life' scheme, published in 2005, showed that providing young families with free packs containing fluoridate toothpaste, a toothbrush, and guidance on dental hygiene, is capable of increasing the frequency with which parents and carers brush their children's teeth. However, experience shows that oral health promotion campaigns aimed at changing behaviour in respect of diet and tooth-brushing do not achieve the reductions in dental decay offered by the fluoridation of water. Copies of the publication have been placed in the Library.

Fluoride

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has evaluated research carried out in other European Union member states on the fluoridation of public water supplies in the last three years.

Ann Keen: The Department has evaluated the report 'Assessing The Impact Of Exposure To Fluoride In Water On The Oral Health Of 16 Year Olds In A Border Region Of Ireland', published by Queen's University Belfast in March 2007. It showed that 31 per cent. of 16-year-old residents of fluoridated areas in the Republic of Ireland had no obvious tooth decay experience compared with 22 per cent. in Northern Ireland, where there are no fluoridation schemes.

Fluoride

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the levels of tooth decay in countries  (a) that fluoridate and  (b) do not fluoridate public water supplies for the purposes of benchmarking in the last three years.

Ann Keen: Some 170 million people in the United States of America drink fluoridated water. Studies reported by the American Dental Association show that fluoridation of water reduces dental decay by over 50 per cent. Experience elsewhere shows that it is possible to achieve similarly low levels of dental disease in affluent areas with as many as 60 per cent. of 12-year-old children with no tooth decay, but the attraction of fluoridation is its potential for reducing inequalities in oral health.

General Practitioners: Finance

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the allocation formula; and for what reason work on the formula has been suspended.

Ben Bradshaw: The Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA) continually oversees the development of the funding formula used to inform primary care trusts (PCTs) revenue allocations.
	ACRA has recently completed an extensive review of the key elements of the funding formula. The 2009-10 and 2010-11 PCT revenue allocations will be announced in the autumn alongside the NHS Operating Framework for 2009-10 and ACRA's report will be published at that time.

Health Visitors: Gloucestershire

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health visitors there were in Gloucestershire in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The requested information is provided in the following table. Latest available data are for September 2007.
	
		
			  NHS hospital and community health services: Health visitors and district nurses in the Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust( 1)  (PCT) area as at 30 September in each specified year 
			  Headcount 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006( 2)  2007 
			 Total specified staff 269 271 264 238 230 
			 Health visitors 154 161 152 80 129 
			 District nurses 115 110 112 158 101 
			 (1) In October 2006 Cheltenham and Tewkesbury PCT, Cotswold and Vale PCT and West Gloucestershire PCT merged to form Gloucestershire PCT. Figures prior to 2006 are an aggregate of these predecessor organisations. (2) The numbers of district nurses are shown, as evidence suggests that there have been some coding issues around health visitors and district nurses during the merger of the three PCTs.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census

Human Papilloma Virus

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what selection criteria were applied to the tender process for a human papilloma virus vaccine; what role the criteria played in the decision-making process on the tender; and what weight was given to each criterion.

Dawn Primarolo: The award criteria for the evaluation of the contract to supply human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine were as follows:
	
		
			  Criteria  Points 
			 Quality of protection against cervical cancers caused by HPV strains 16/18 Maximum (Max) of 5,000 
			 Duration of protection against cervical cancers caused by HPV strains 16/18 for more than 10 years duration Max of 3,000 
			 Quality of protection against anogenital warts caused by HPV Strains 6/11 Max of 1,300 
			 Duration of protection against anogenital warts caused by HPV Strains 6/11 for more than 10 years duration Max of 500 
			 Quality of protection against HPV strains not included in the vaccine formulation Max of 1,000 
			 Other evidence of additional clinical benefits Max of 500 
			 Effective price per dose excluding VAT Commercially confidential 
			 Supply of the vaccine as single pre-filled syringe pack presentation Max of 10 
			 Quality of labelling, leaflets and presentation Max of 5 
			 Shelf life Max of 120 
			 Flexibility in the vaccine dosage schedule Max of 70 
			 Offers that reduce the risk of wastage if the vaccine is subject to temperatures above 8C (this include the provision of temperature indicators and evidence based guidance on the stability of the vaccines at higher storage temperatures and subsequent safe administration.) Max of 200 
			 Closeness of proposed delivery schedule to authority requirements Max of 200 
			 Pallet configuration including a preference for the use of Euro pallets Max of 5 
			 Impact of proposed amendments to the terms and conditions (-500). Offerors may lose up to 500 points 
			 Quality/robustness of manufacturing contingency arrangements Max of 10 
			 Quality/robustness of the risk management of storage and distribution Max of 10 
			 Information provided relating to pack sizes, cold chain delivery, batch numbering systems and production capacity Max of 5

Human Papilloma Virus

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the effectiveness of the human papilloma virus vaccine Gardasil.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department commissioned the Health Protection Agency to carry out studies to examine the impact and cost effectiveness of introducing a human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programme. This work has been accepted for publication in the  British Medical Journal.
	The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provided advice to the Department on the effectiveness of HPV vaccines, including Gardasil (Sanofi Pasteur MSD). JCVI considered data on vaccine efficacy from both published papers and unpublished clinical trial data.

Human Papilloma Virus

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent estimate is of the cost of delivering a course of treatment of the human papilloma virus vaccine Cervarix as part of the national immunisation programme.

Dawn Primarolo: The cost of delivering a course of treatment of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine will vary from primary care trust (PCT) to PCT depending on how they choose to implement the immunisation programme.
	In total 8.9 million has been given to PCTs to deliver the HPV programme in the first year and the Department will provide the vaccine to the PCTs free of charge.

Human Papilloma Virus

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors underlay the decision not to issue catch-up Cervarix vaccinations against the human papilloma infection to female patients older than 18 years as part of the national immunisation programme.

Dawn Primarolo: The human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programme will offer the HPV vaccine to girls and young women aged 12 to 18 years of age. We are currently considering the issues around offering the vaccine to those over 18 years of age, including the cost-effectiveness of such an intervention.

Human Papilloma Virus

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the respective assessments of the cost and benefits of providing  (a) Cervarix and  (b) Gardasil as the human papilloma virus vaccine for the national immunisation programme.

Dawn Primarolo: The cost-effectiveness analysis of introducing a Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccination programme in the United Kingdom carried out by the Health Protection Agency has been accepted for publication in the British Medical Journal and will be available shortly.

Incontinence: Medical Equipment

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his Department's June 2008 consultation on the proposed new arrangements for the provision of stoma and urology services and related services in primary care, whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment in respect of urology patients who use intermittent catheters to ensure that they will maintain the same level and quality of care provision; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: In line with the Better Regulation Executive (BERR) guidelines on consultation, an impact assessment has been published alongside the consultation document entitled Proposed new arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma and urology appliancesand related servicesin Primary Care June 2008, copies of this publication have already been placed in the Library. The proposals set out in the consultation reflect discussions with patients and healthcare professionalsas well as dispensing contractors, manufacturers and wholesalers. It is intended that any new arrangements for the provision of stoma and incontinence items in primary care will maintain patient care.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people diagnosed with  (a) colitis and  (b) Crohn's disease in the London Borough of Bexley.

Ann Keen: The Department has made no estimate of the number of people diagnosed with colitis and with Crohn's disease in Bexley, and information about the number of people diagnosed with these conditions is not collected centrally. The hon. Member may therefore wish to raise this issue with the Chief Executive of Bexley Care Trust.

Liver Diseases: Health Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what work is being undertaken to  (a) raise awareness of the benefits of specialist care and  (b) support patient choice in referral to specialist centres in relation to liver disease;
	(2)  whether he plans to appoint a national clinical director for liver disease;
	(3)  what progress has been made on consideration of a national strategy to tackle liver disease.

Ann Keen: We recognise that there is strong support for developing a national strategy for liver disease and are currently considering how best to take this forward in light of the changes committed to in High Quality Care for All, published on 30 June, copies of which are available in the Library.
	We have no plans at present to appoint a national clinical director for liver disease.

Medicine: Graduates

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on paying graduate medical students' university tuition fees in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: Information on the number of eligible medical graduates on the four year graduate entry course for whom a tuition fee was paid and the total cost of tuition fees paid for those students in the last two academic years is shown in the table.
	Information for years prior to 2005-06 is not available.
	
		
			  Analysis of tuition fees paid to NHS funded medical students by academic year 
			   Four year graduate entry course 
			  Academic year  Number of students  Amount paid for tuition fees () 
			  Medical students   
			 2005-06 1,414 1,661,850 
			 2006-07 1,823 2,189,600 
			  Notes: 1. NHS student bursaries' database only holds details of the course that the student was actually funded for in that academic year, accordingly all medical and dental students who intercalated (undertook a one year BSc course part way through their medical/dental course) in any academic year have to be included with the figures for the medical students (because the vast majority of intercalating students are medical students) as they cannot interrogate the data to clarify whether an intercalated student was a medical or dental student in previous or future academic years. 2. Some graduate students may undertake the under-graduate medical course. However, these students cannot be included in the figures in the table as the information recorded by NHS student bursaries only captures the course the students are attending and not the status of the student.  Source: NHS Business Services Authority Student Bursaries Unit

Medicine: Graduates

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department expects to spend on paying graduate medical students' university tuition fees in each of the next five years.

Ann Keen: Information on the estimated number of medical graduate on the four year graduate entry course and the estimated amount of tuition fees, which may be paid for those students in the next five academic years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Estimated amount of tuition fees which may be paid to national health service funded medical students on the four year graduate entry course by academic year 
			  Academic year  Estimated number of graduates on the four-year graduate entry medical course( 1,2)  Estimated amount of tuition fees to be paid( 3,4)  () 
			  Medical students   
			 2008-09 2,035 5,080,855 
			 2009-10 2,003 6,459,675 
			 2010-11 1,981 6,388,725 
			 2011-12 1,998 6,443,550 
			 2012-13 1,998 6,443,550 
			 (1) Actual intake medical graduate numbers in 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 were used to estimate the number of medical graduates in 2008-09. (2) The planned intake medical graduate figure from 2007-06 was used to calculate estimated total number of medical graduates from 2008-09 onwards. (3) Actual tuition fee rates have been used to estimate total amount of tuition fees paid in 2008-09 and 2009-10. From 2010-11 onwards, the 2009-10 tuition fee rate has been used to calculate estimated total amount of tuition fees paid and does not include any annual uplifts. (4) The amount of tuition fee paid is calculated from the estimated number of medical graduates, however in reality not all medical graduates will be eligible to have their tuition fees paid.  Notes: 1. The figures do not account for medical students who might intercalate (undertake a one year BSc course part way through their medical course) in any academic year and so this would increase the number of years they would need their tuition fees paid for them. 2. Some graduate students choose to undertake the under-graduate medical course because their degree is not acceptable for entry onto the shortened medical course. However, these students cannot be included in the figures in the table as the information recorded by Higher Education Funding Council only captures the course the students are attending and not the status of the student.  Sources: 1. Higher Education Funding Council for England: Medical School Return 2004-052007-08 2. Department of Innovation Universities and Skills tuition fee rates 2006-072009-10

Mental Health Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what guidance is provided by his Department to mental health trusts on the provision of emergency psychiatric teams;
	(2)  which mental health trusts have emergency psychiatric teams.

Ivan Lewis: The term 'emergency psychiatric teams' could refer to either or both 'crisis resolution and home treatment' teams, or 'emergency care' teams.
	The Department published The Mental Health Policy Implementation Guidance in 2001 (copies of which have been deposited in the Library) to support the delivery of adult mental health policy locally and the joint publication with the Care Services Improvement Partnership Guidance Statement on Fidelity and Best Practice for Crisis Resolution Teams in January 2007. The Guidance Statement identifies aspects of how crisis teams deliver care which need attention so that best practice is followed across the country and emphasises a whole systems approach to care.
	We also published Emergency care 10 years on: reforming emergency care on 29 April 2007, along with an updated version of the mental health emergency care checklist.
	The information as to which mental health trusts have 'crisis resolution' and 'home treatment' teams is provided in the following table. The Department does not hold information on the numbers of 'emergency care' teams.
	
		
			  Mental health services: total number of crisis teams per mental health provider at 31 March 2008 
			  Mental health providers  Total crisis resolution teams 
			 England total 344 
			   
			 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust 7 
			 Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust 9 
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 7 
			 Barnsley PCT 2 
			 Bedfordshire and Luton Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust 3 
			 Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 6 
			 Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Trust 10.5 
			 Bradford District Care Trust 4 
			 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust 4 
			 Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust 4 
			 Central and North West London NH Foundation Trust 10 
			 Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 7 
			 Cornwall Partnership NHS Trust 3 
			 Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust 6 
			 Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 4 
			 Derbyshire Mental Health Services NHS Trust 6 
			 Devon Partnership NHS Trust 6 
			 Dorset Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 3 
			 Dorset PCT 1 
			 Dudley PCT 2 
			 East London NHS Foundation Trust 7 
			 Gloucestershire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 3 
			 Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust 6 
			 Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust 7 
			 Herefordshire PCT 1 
			 Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 6 
			 Humber Mental Health Teaching NHS Trust 4 
			 Isle of Wight NHS PCT 1 
			 Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust 9 
			 Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust 10 
			 Leeds Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust 6 
			 Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust 5.5 
			 Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 4 
			 Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust 5 
			 Mersey Care NHS Trust 6 
			 Milton Keynes PCT 1 
			 Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust 6 
			 North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus 1 
			 North East London Mental Health NHS Trust 6 
			 North Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 6 
			 North Lincolnshire PCT 1 
			 North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust 3 
			 North Yorkshire and York PCT 3 
			 Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Trust 3.5 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust 11 
			 Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust 7 
			 Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust 4 
			 Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust 5 
			 Pennine Care NHS Trust 9 
			 Plymouth Teaching PCT 2 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 1 
			 Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber Mental Health NHS Foundation 4 
			 Sandwell Mental Health NHS and Social Care Trust 2.5 
			 Sheffield Care Trust 4 
			 Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 3 
			 South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 5 
			 South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust 11 
			 South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 5 
			 South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 7 
			 South West Yorkshire Mental Health NHS Trust 7 
			 Suffolk Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust 3 
			 Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust 6 
			 Sussex Partnership NHS Trust 9 
			 Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust 10 
			 Walsall Teaching PCT 2 
			 West London Mental Health NHS Trust 6 
			 Wolverhampton City PCT 2 
			 Worcestershire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust 3 
			  Notes: Total 'crisis resolution' teams include teams with Department's sign off to provide services to a population larger than a standard team as specified by the policy implementation guidance.  Source: Service mapping exercise

Mental Health Services

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mental health nurses were employed in NHS hospitals in each of the last five years; and how many experienced a violent assault in connection with their duties in each such year.

Ann Keen: Information on the number of mental health nurses from 2003 to 2007 has been placed in the Library.
	Information on the number of violent assaults against mental health nurses is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	For information on the numbers of reported physical assaults against NHS staff, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for East Devon (Mr. Swire) on 4 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 2390-1W.

NHS

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 21 February 2008,  Official Report, column 962W, on the NHS, on what specific elements of the constitution his Department is considering whether it is appropriate to legislate; and what elements of the constitution his Department is not proposing to enshrine in legislation.

Ivan Lewis: The NHS Constitution is a 'declaratory document' and will not be enshrined in legislation. However, we intend to legislate to place a legal duty on all national health service organisations to take account of the Constitution when performing their functions, and on the Secretary of State to renew the Constitution every 10 years.
	The draft NHS Constitution and the Government's proposals are open for public consultation until 17 October 2008. The details, including how to feed in views, are available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/consultations

NHS Cord Blood Bank

Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much of the NHS blood and transplant budget for 2008-09 is allocated to the NHS Cord Blood Bank for  (a) donation,  (b) collection,  (c) storage and  (d) provision of cord blood units for clinical use;
	(2)  what physical capacity the NHS Cord Blood Bank has to  (a) store and  (b) process collected units of cord blood.

Dawn Primarolo: NHS Blood and Transplant has allocated the following budget for 2008-09 to the NHS Cord Blood Bank:
	
		
			
			 Donation and collection 1,255,000 
			 Storage of cord blood units 510,000 
			 Provision of cord blood units for clinical use 300,000 
		
	
	Currently, the NHS Cord Blood Bank has more than 11,000 cord blood units banked over three sites in Edgware, Bishops Stortford and Cambridge. New, single site facilities at Filton, near Bristol, will allow 2,000 units per year to be processed and stored with the aim of having 20,000 clinical grade cord blood units banked by 2013.

NHS: Anniversaries

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trusts put on special events to mark the 60th anniversary of the NHS; and at what cost in each case.

Ann Keen: Local events and activities to mark the 60th anniversary of the national health service were organised by NHS trusts locally. These costs are not held centrally.

NHS: Finance

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the findings of the Advisory Committee for Resource Allocation review of the geographical apportionment of health funding.

Ben Bradshaw: The 2009-10 and 2010-11 PCT revenue allocations will be announced in the autumn alongside the national health service operating framework for 2009-10. The report of the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation's review of the funding formula used to inform PCT revenue allocations will be published at that time.

NHS: Reorganisation

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if his Department will publish the transcripts of the consultations undertaken as part of the Next Stage Review;
	(2)  who was consulted as part of the Next Stage Review, broken down by  (a) region and  (b) area of work.

Ann Keen: The NHS Next Stage Review has been first and foremost a local process. Clinical working groups were established in each strategic health authority (SHA) region to identify improvements to local services. In total 74 groups, led by 2,000 frontline clinicians examined services across eight 'pathways of care' engaging with patients, national health service staff, stakeholders and the public.
	Each SHA has now published its long-term vision for improving health and healthcare in its region based on the work of these groups. The local visions and the final report are based on unprecedented engagement with around 60,000 public, patients and staff through a combination of local engagement led by the SHAs, and nationally through a series of events, meetings and working groups.
	More information on local engagement can be found within the SHA vision documents, which are available on the review websitewww.ournhs.nhs.uk. Nationally, full findings from the first set of deliberative events on 18 September 2007 and a summary of the international clinical summit on 21-22 November 2007 are available on the website. An analysis of the views and opinions gathered in the engagement process has also been published on the website.
	A full breakdown of those engaged in the review process by region and area of work could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Nurses: Redundancy

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist nurses have been made redundant as a result of reconfiguration of services in each of the last three years.

Ann Keen: The number of specialist nurses made redundant as a result of reconfiguration of services is not held centrally.

Occupational Therapy

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many occupational therapists qualified in 2007.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally.

Pain

Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is to be included in the forthcoming NHS Next Stage Review report on the management of chronic pain in  (a) primary care,  (b) secondary care and  (c) tertiary care settings.

Ann Keen: The NHS Next Stage Review final report, 'High Quality Care for All' was published on 30 June; copies of this publication have already been placed in the Library. The review, led by two thousand frontline clinicians and staff across each strategic health authority in England, examined services across eight 'pathways of care', including long-term conditions. The report responds to the challenges identified locally to deliver the improvements to the wider system that will enable these local priorities to be met most effectively.
	The report sets out a series of proposals to improve patients' experience of the care they receive. These include:
	giving patients even greater influence over the services they use by guaranteeing choice and access to the most clinically and cost-effective drugs and treatments;
	making health care more personal by ensuring that everyone with a long-term condition has their own personalised care plan and by piloting personal health budgets;
	a new right to the latest drugs approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, and the speeding up of the process to look at new drugs and treatments; and
	measuring quality right across the service and publishing that information for the first time, so that both staff and patients can work together to make the best decisions about treatment.

Physiotherapy: Sports

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress the Health Professions Council has made on the statutory regulation of sports therapists; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The White Paper, Trust, Assurance, Safety - The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21(st) Century sets out Government proposals for extending statutory regulation to more health care professions/occupational groups. Copies of this publication are available in the Library.
	The Extending Professional Regulation Working Group, on which the Health Professions Council is represented, have been tasked with taking forward this work.
	At this stage, the focus of the working group is not around the statutory regulation of individual professional groups and it is doubtful there will be scope to regulate new professions before 2010.

Prescriptions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many prescription forms were submitted in each of the last three years, broken down by region;
	(2)  what the average number of prescription items issued per prescription form was in each of the last three years, broken down by region;
	(3)  what the average cost to the NHS of items issued on prescription was in each of the last three years, broken down by region.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is in the following table(1).
	(1) Based on prescriptions dispensed in the community in England. Also included are prescriptions written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man but dispensed in England. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospitals, including mental health trusts, or private prescriptions.
	
		
			  Strategic health authority  Number of prescription forms (Thousand)  Average number of prescription items per form  Average net ingredient cost( 1)  per item () 
			  2005
			 East Midlands 31,021.0 2.01 10.39 
			 East of England 39,394.4 1.97 11.51 
			 London 41,407.8 1.97 11.90 
			 North East 21,482.0 2.00 10.16 
			 North West 56,737.4 2.07 10.77 
			 South Central 25,014.3 1.92 11.47 
			 South East Coast 28,537.6 1.97 12.13 
			 South West 38,317.4 1.92 10.39 
			 West Midlands 39,530.1 2.00 11.41 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 40,012.9 2.05 10.07 
			 Total 361,454.8   
			 
			  2006
			 East Midlands 32,377.9 2.02 10.32 
			 East of England 41,127.9 1.98 11.36 
			 London 42,914.2 2.00 11.70 
			 North East 22,199.8 2.04 9.87 
			 North West 57,865.4 2.09 10.82 
			 South Central 25,842.3 1.93 11.19 
			 South East Coast 29,502.8 1.99 11.93 
			 South West 39,813.4 1.94 10.08 
			 West Midlands 41,199.1 2.00 11.49 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 41,174.1 2.06 9.99 
			 Total 374,016.9   
			 
			  2007
			 East Midlands 34,426.6 2.04 9.94 
			 East of England 43,339.0 2.00 10.90 
			 London 45,142.4 2.02 11.10 
			 North East 23,155.9 2.08 9.38 
			 North West 60,298.6 2.10 10.60 
			 South Central 27,106.7 1.95 10.74 
			 South East Coast 31,010.2 2.01 11.55 
			 South West 41,665.3 1.96 9.63 
			 West Midlands 43,015.3 2.03 11.22 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 42,964.7 2.08 9.76 
			 Total 392,124.6   
			 (1) Net ingredient cost is the basic cost of a drug. It does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income.  Source: Prescription Pricing Division of the NHS Business Services Authority.

Primary Care Trusts: Equality

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which primary care trusts have completed a local equality impact assessment; and whether those assessments are centrally collated;
	(2)  what requirements there are on primary care trusts to conduct local equality impact assessments; and whether those assessments are required to cover cancer services.

Ivan Lewis: All primary care trusts (PCTs) have a duty to undertake and publish equality impact assessments (EqIAs). These are not centrally collected by the Department. However, the Healthcare Commission has conducted audits of national health service trusts to look at whether trusts have published the required information. Each PCT is required under the equality legislation to equality-impact assess their functions, policies, strategies and procedures. The Healthcare Commission when inspecting PCTs will assess the quality of the EqIA which will go towards their annual rating.
	The Cancer Reform Strategy was published in December 2007 and has an equality impact assessment which highlights the strategic equality issues regarding cancer which are there to inform PCTs of the issues they should take in due regard when commissioning their own cancer services. Copies of the strategy have already been placed in the Library.

Primary Care Trusts: Managers

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which primary care trusts employ a medical director;
	(2)  whether each primary care trust employs a medical director.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally.

Senior Salaries Review Body

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors underlay his decision to accept the Senior Salaries Review Body recommendation for an increase to basic pay of 2.2 per cent. for executive staff covered by the Very Senior Managers' Pay framework from 1 April 2008.

Ann Keen: In considering their response to each pay review body the Government take into consideration the recruitment and retention position of the work force, affordability, the consumer price index inflation target and value for money for taxpayers.

Sight Impaired: Children

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children aged  (a) less than six,  (b) six to 10 and  (c) 11 to 16 years old have been prescribed glasses in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The Department does not collect statistics broken down by the age groups requested. The following table shows the numbers of national health service optical vouchers paid for by the NHS in England for persons aged under 16 and 16-18 in full-time education.
	
		
			  Numbers of spectacles for which vouchers were reimbursed 
			   0-15 (Children)  16-18 (Students) 
			 2002-03 992,220 252,720 
			 2003-04 1,022,960 233,530 
			 2004-05 997,768 236,065 
			 2005-06 996,535 244,534 
			 2006-07 1,011,619 257,918 
		
	
	The data are published by The Information Centre for health and social care in the General Ophthalmic Services: Activity Statistics for England and Wales, copies of these publication have already been placed in the Library.
	All figures are the total number of NHS optical vouchers and do not take into account individuals who may have received more than one NHS optical voucher.

Wheelchairs

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of wheelchair transportation to and from NHS hospitals.

Ivan Lewis: There have been no assessments made of the adequacy of provision of wheelchair transportation to and from national health service hospitals. It is for local NHS organisations and Social Services to decide how resources should to allocated and to commission appropriate services, taking account of local circumstances and priorities.

Wheelchairs

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the implementation of the new model for the delivery of wheelchair services is intended to reduce waiting times for  (a) assessment for and  (b) delivery of powered wheelchairs.

Ivan Lewis: The Transforming Community Equipment and Wheelchair Services Programme (TCEWS) was set up in 2006 to design a radical new model for delivery of both community equipment and wheelchairs in England. The remit of the programme was to place service users and carers at the heart of any new service model and build on the strengths of the third and private sector. The overall aim was to develop a new high quality system for delivering equipment which would give those supported by the state the sort of choice and control they have not previously enjoyed. Responsibility for assessment of need remains with local health and social care commissioners.
	The programme has developed a business case for a new model of delivery of wheelchair services which is currently being considered by senior officials in the Department.